INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball team held the lead throughout and fended off a feisty Bloomsburg squad at multiple points in the second half for a 74-63 win heading into the holiday break.
 
IUP (6-2, 3-1) racked up 17 offensive rebounds and collected 13 steals as a team while placing three scorers in double figures. Rahmena Henderson led the Hawks in scoring once again with 18 points, while Grace Centrulla put up a career-high during her brief time as a Crimson Hawk with 16 points and eight rebounds.
 
Kiera Baughman logged 13 points, four rebounds and five assists. Using a balanced effort, Janeira Scott and Teirra Preston posted nine points apiece and Nysahe' Weaver recorded seven points and 11 rebounds.
 
IUP led for 38:39 in the game but struggled pulling away from Bloomsburg (3-7, 1-3) at points in the fourth quarter. Katelin Starr finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds on a tough night, converting 7-of-9 attempts from the foul line.
 
Both teams shot 43% from the floor with IUP attempting 13 more field goals. Shooting 44% from the floor in the opening half, IUP took a double figure advantage into halftime at 35-25. IUP racked up 11 second chance points in the opening half on nine offensive rebounds.
 
Henderson fired in eight first half points to lead the Hawks, which held Bloomsburg to 39.1% from the floor in the first half.
 
The Huskies had just one lead in the first half following a Katie Starr layup before IUP countered with an 8-0 run, fueled by sone strong defense. Weaver handed off a feed to Henderson, who buried a trey from the left wing for a 12-5 advantage.
 
Henderson pushed the Hawks ahead by 10 at 23-13 as the Huskies whittled away the deficit with the final five points of the stanza. Maria Cerro posted three steals in the opening half, part of another aggressive defensive showing for the Hawks on Tuesday.
 
Centrulla posted three of her nine first half points midway through the second, propelling IUP to its largest lead of the half at 30-18. Bloomsburg slowly battled back within six before the Hawks widened the advantage to 10 at the break.
 
The Huskies were within single digits for much of the third quarter and got back within seven with the initial bucket of the fourth from Leah Kale. The Hawks used several sequences of dominance on the offensive glass that led to baskets, including at the 6:30 mark on a basket from Henderson for a 65-53 advantage.
 
The Huskies could not get closer than 11 down the stretch with IUP holding steady for the victory.
 
Up Next
IUP returns to action on Saturday, December 30 for a trip to East Stroudsburg at 1:00 p.m.
 
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.

 

---