CLARION, Pa. – Outplayed for a large portion of the game, top-ranked IUP men's basketball eventually erased a double-digit deficit in the second half, emerging victorious with a 70-63 road win at Clarion on Saturday.
 
IUP (24-1, 18-1) battled for its 24th consecutive victory in the series with Clarion (3-21, 1-17). The Hawks had two players with double-doubles and three in double figures, overcoming a 50-36 deficit with a key run in the second half.
 
Tomiwa Sulaiman poured in 23 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks for IUP. Ethan Porterfield added 15 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes, while Shawndale Jones dropped in 18 points with five rebounds and three steals.
 
Clarion was balanced offensively despite missing its top two scorers, with the trio of Steve Kelly, Fray Nguimbi and Justice Easter posting 12 points apiece. Nguimbi racked up a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds with two blocks, while Jayson Harris posted 11 points for the athletic Golden Eagles.
 
A 19-4 run flipped the script in IUP's favor, turning a double-digit deficit into a lead it would not relinquish. The Golden Eagles were torrid from beyond the arc for about 28 minutes, but cooled down from deep as the Crimson Hawks chipped away. Porterfield, Suliaman and Jones all provided key plays on both sides of the ball in the second half to help IUP take control.
 
The Hawks held the edge in rebounding, 42-33, with Sulaiman and Porterfield combining for 23 boards. The game featured three ties and 12 lead changes in a hard-fought home finale for the Golden Eagles on Saturday.
 
Clarion was in control for much of the opening half, holding the lead for over 15 minutes in the stanza without its top two scorers. Both sides shot near 45% from the floor in the opening half with statistics relatively even.
 
Jones handed IUP an early 9-8 lead with a pull-up jumper before the Golden Eagles moved back in front for the remainder of the half. The Golden Eagles countered back with timely baskets, jumping ahead by nine with a triple from Fray Nguimbi at the 4:53 mark.
 
Jayson Harris ballooned the Clarion lead at 40-29 before Sulaiman canned a much-needed trey for the Hawks. The Golden Eagles pressed ahead by double figures with 17 minutes left in the second half with IUP struggling to get into a rhythm offensively.
 
Clarion converted at over a 50% clip from beyond the arc into the second half and showcased its athleticism with a steal and slam, taking a commanding 50-36 edge at the 14:02 mark. The Hawks eventually worked the deficit to seven with a triple from Dallis Dillard.
 
Justice Easter knocked down the Golden Eagles' ninth and 10th triples of the afternoon, which widened the lead back to an 11-point spread at 56-45. Porterfield converted through contact for his first field goal of the second half, knocking down the and-one foul shot for a 58-50 IUP deficit.
 
After grabbing a defensive board, Porterfield drilled a trey for a quick 6-0 run on his own, providing some momentum back to IUP trailing 58-53. Following a technical foul assessed to Clarion, Jones made both foul shots before Sulaiman provided IUP the lead with a layin at 59-58.
 
The timely surge was all part of a larger 19-4 IUP run that spanned over eight minutes and erased a double-digit deficit. IUP held Clarion scoreless for over four minutes in regaining the lead at 61-60.
 
Sulaiman converted a stickback bucket for a 64-60 IUP lead with just under three minutes remaining. Fouled on a loose ball, Sulaiman made one of two at the foul line, which extended the lead to 65-63 at the 1:48 mark.
 
Jones swiped a key steal with under 25 seconds to go, making it a two-possession game with a pair of foul shots at 67-63. Porterfield connected on two more timely foul shots for a 69-63 lead with 11 seconds remaining.
 
Up Next
IUP hosts Edinboro on Wednesday, February 15 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.
 

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