EDINBORO, Pa. – Edinboro women's basketball entered Monday's matchup with the most three-point baskets in the league, once again putting its outside shooting on full display by going 54.5% from beyond the arc in a 95-69 shellacking of IUP on Monday night at the McComb Field House.
Edinboro (10-7, 8-4) used a decisive 33-8 stretch that spanned over nine minutes between the second and third quarters in the victory. Rana Elhuseini, the reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Athlete of the Week, poured in a new career high 36 points (10-16 FG) with seven assists and five boards in 35 minutes.
IUP (13-4, 8-4) got off to a solid start with
Kiera Baughman leading the charge behind a team-high 19 points, while
Teirra Preston notched another double-double behind 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Alana Cardona,
Gina Adams and
Maria Cerro added 10 points each for IUP, which could not keep pace throughout the second quarter and into the final 20 minutes of the game. Cerro posted three steals, while Adams added six assists for IUP.
Edinboro racked up 32 points in the second alone quarter with some stellar shooting, going 68.8% from the field with six three-point baskets to pull ahead at the break. Elhusseini fired in 23 points in the opening half, knocking down three treys in a barrage for the Fighting Scots that spanned 2:29 in the second stanza.
The Scots maintained an advantage of 20 or more for much of the second half, jumping ahead of IUP in the PSAC West standings. Haley Sims added 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists as Edinboro had 12 players find the scoring column.
Baughman put up 11 points for the Hawks in the opening half, while Cardona and Preston each grabbed six rebounds. The 95 points were the most allowed in regulation by IUP since a 1997-98 at Shippensburg, a 97-76 setback on the road.
Edinboro led 6-3 to start the game with Baughman guiding the IUP offense early. Baughman converted a floater to jumpstart an 8-0 scoring run that spanned about two minutes. Cardona scored the next six points for IUP, which led 11-6 with just under six minutes remaining in the first.
Cerro countered a brief Edinboro surge with a triple from Adams, pushing IUP ahead 16-13. Baughman opened the second quarter scoring with a driving bucket for an 18-15 lead early in the second, later stopping up for a jumper to make it 20-19.
IUP continued working its advantage down in the low block, but the Fighting Scots answered offensively with a barrage beyond the arc in the second frame. The Scots drilled five trey balls, all on consecutive offensive possessions. Elhusseni canned three of the five triples, with Sims and Gillian Fisher also converting from deep.
Elhusseini surpassed her scoring average in the second quarter, logging 17 of her 23 first half points in the second quarter alone.
Cerro was whistled for her third foul of the first half after defensive pressure from Elhusseini prompted a steal. Edinboro continued the advantage with a 12-0 run, all part of a larger 18-4 spurt over 3:30 in the second quarter that pushed the lead to double figures.
Things continued to unravel for IUP after Maura Suman banked in a triple from the right side. Morgan Gentile closed the half with a layup for a 47-31 Edinboro advantage at the break.
Cero drove inside for a layup, looking to get IUP going down 53-36. The Scots promptly responded with their eighth triple of the night for a 59-36 advantage. Edinboro worked its advantage to 30 points at 67-37 at the 4:25 mark of the third.
The IUP offense could not narrow the gap third quarter as Edinboro continued pulling away with a 74-50 lead. Both sides began to work in other members of the lineup into the fourth quarter as time expired.
Up Next
IUP returns to road action on Wednesday, January 25 for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at Slippery Rock.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
