CHARLESTON, W.Va. – IUP men's basketball dropped a hard-fought season opener, 70-72, to Glenville State Friday evening at the Wehrle Innovation Center.
 
IUP showcased a revamped lineup in their first outing, with freshman Tyler Grove leading the charge. Grove dropped a team high of 17 points, going 3-6 from beyond the arc and shooting 7-14 FG. He also grabbed nine rebounds and added a block and a steal.
 
Fellow freshman Kymani Merraro contributed greatly after shooting 4-5 FG and went 4-4 with free throws. Merraro added 12 total points, six assists, and one steal. 
 
Two transfers Christian Moore and Luke Triggs saw a decent bit of action as well. Moore finished with 14 points, one steal, one block, and two assists. Triggs played for 19 minutes and posted four points and one assist.
 
Returner Damir Brooks was another standout, posting 13 points shooting 6-9 FG. He also made his mark defensively with five steals and one block.
 
The Hawks got off to a solid start with Merraro sinking a pair of free throws, followed by a three-pointer from Grove to put IUP up 5-2. After a dunk from Brooks and another three from Grove, IUP closed the gap to 15-12, but couldn't fully take control, finishing the first half down 43-35.
 
In the second, Glenville State jumped ahead to three 13-point leads, until IUP posted a comeback. The Crimson Hawks rattled off three steals and a block, tying the game at 62-62 with 5:22 remaining. Despite strong efforts in the final minutes, including a couple of paint touches from Merraro and Brooks, IUP was unable to manage another shot as time ran out. 
 
Up Next 
IUP goes against Charleston (W.Va.) Saturday, November 9 for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff.
 
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For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.