JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Top-ranked IUP men's basketball held off Pitt-Johnstown behind a big second half, remaining unbeaten with a 76-71 victory on Saturday afternoon at an energized UPJ Sports Center.
IUP (15-0, 9-0) trailed by four at the break, outscoring a skilled Pitt-Johnstown (11-4, 7-2) side by nine over the final 20 minutes to emerge victorious.
Jaylen Stewart helped lead IUP back with 17 points (5-5 FG) in the second half, adding three rebounds on a perfect night shooting.
Stewart canned three-point baskets on consecutive trips up the floor late in the second half, pushing IUP ahead by three each time at 69-66 and 72-69.
Shawndale Jones poured in 17 points for the Hawks, while
Tomiwa Sulaiman posted a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Andrew Shull fired in a game-high 23 points for UPJ, adding six rebounds, while Ryan Smith posted 14 points and eight boards for the hosts.
Dave Morris surpassed 1,000 career points at IUP with the second of two free throws in the second half, adding four assists and a steal in a team effort.
Pitt-Johnstown led for over 24 minutes of game action, including until the 16-minute mark of the second half. The Mountain Cats did not back down, providing a response to each IUP run. Stewart's trey with 1:05 remaining put IUP ahead for good.
Fittingly enough, Stewart also converted two free throws with under 10 seconds remaining, stretching the IUP advantage to two possessions.
Ethan Porterfield added 15 points while playing all 40 minutes for IUP, which held a 20-10 advantage in second chance points. Porterfield secured four rebounds, surpassing 500 for his career in the victory.
UPJ moved in front with a triple from Joe Batt at 14:31 in the first half, remaining in the lead until a foul shot from
Dallis Dillard at the 16:12 mark of the second half. The Hawks shot 41.4% from the floor in the contest, including 50% in the second half.
Down by three, UPJ missed a pair of potential game-tying treys from John Paul Kromka and Shull with under 15 seconds left before Stewart closed out the game with his timely foul shots.
Up Next
IUP returns home to the KCAC for a divisional matchup with Clarion on Wednesday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.
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