INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP men's basketball team defeated the Bald Eagles Saturday afternoon 80-70, after a second half surge.
 
IUP's record now stands at 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the PSAC, while Lock Haven drops to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
 
Lock Haven held a narrow two-point lead at halftime, but IUP surged in the second half, outscoring their opponents 48-36. The Crimson Hawks shot 51% from the field and an impressive 55% from three-point range while capitalizing on 19 points off turnovers.
 
Christian Moore was a standout for IUP, playing nearly the entire game and contributing 23 points, four rebounds, four assists, and five steals. He shot 7-13 from the field and was 5-6 from the free-throw line.
 
Freshman Tyler Grove also delivered a strong performance, adding 19 points, seven rebounds, and one assist. Grove shot 7-13 from the field, 3-5 from beyond the arc, and went 2-2 from the free-throw line.
 
Kymani Merraro contributed eight points, all from the free-throw line, along with six rebounds, eight assists, and one steal. Damir Brooks added eight points, six rebounds, one assist, and made an impact defensively with two blocks and two steals.
 
IUP set the tone early, with Brooks converting a steal into a layup to get the Hawks on the board. Luke Triggs followed with a steal and a jumper, giving IUP an early six-point advantage. 
 
At the 13-minute mark, Brooks dunked off a pass from Sarp Furton. Lock Haven managed to cut the deficit to one point with 10 minutes remaining in the half. A jumper by Moore tied the game at 26-26 with three minutes to play, and right after Moore added a steal and a layup. 
 
Lock Haven ended the half with two free throws to take a slim two-point lead into the break.
 
Brooks started the second half with an early block. Moore secured a steal and assisted Brooks on a successful layup. Furton and Grove followed with back-to-back free throws, extending IUP's lead to seven points.
 
The Hawks surged to a 19-point advantage, fueled by three-pointers from both Moore and Grove, capped off by a dunk from Grove.
 
In the final three minutes, Moore drained another three-pointer, while Merraro sealed the game with seven points from the free-throw line.
 
Up Next
IUP will match up against nonconference opponent Lincoln Wednesday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the KCAC.
 
Follow 
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.