EDINBORO, Pa. -- The IUP women's basketball program picked up their first PSAC West win of the season against Edinboro, 83-70 this afternoon.
With this win IUP improved to 12-1 overall and 7-0 in the PSAC while Edinboro dropped to 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the PSAC.
IUP started strong, building a 22-10 lead by the end of the first quarter and picked up momentum in the second half. The Hawks shot .558 from the field and made 18 of their 20 free throw attempts. Defensively, they dominated with 27 defensive rebounds, nearly 10 more than Edinboro.
Nyshae' Weaver recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Ellie Wilkerson contributed 15 points, and together, they went a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line, adding two assists and a steal each. Shamia Strayhorn added 14 points, and led IUP with four steals and six assists. Marin Miller scored 11 points, shooting an efficient .833 from the field.
Edinboro opened the game with a quick 4-0 lead, but IUP responded with a 5-0 run, including a three-pointer by Janeira Scott and a layup from Grace Centrulla. Weaver's defensive rebound set up Wilkerson for back-to-back layups, pushing the Hawks to a 15-8 lead. Miller's three-pointer at 3:48 extended the margin to 10 points, and Strayhorn capped the quarter with a floater at the 1:15 mark, giving IUP a 22-10 advantage.
Edinboro rallied in the second quarter with consecutive three-pointers, to narrow the gap to 22-16. Lily Jordan's layup at 5:30 ended IUP's scoring drought, followed by a Weaver layup assisted by Strayhorn. Edinboro briefly took a 30-29 lead at the two-minute mark, but IUP closed the quarter with five made free throws, to reclaim lead at 34-30.
Scott opened the third quarter with her second three-pointer, extending the Hawks' lead to 40-34. She reached double figures with a step-back jumper at 5:55. Strayhorn and Wilkerson added baskets, pushing the lead back to 10 points with five minutes to go. Miller makes consecutive baskets, going 3-for-3. The final four minutes, the teams took turns trading points but IUP maintained a 56-50 lead at the end of the third.
Jarrett opened the fourth with a three followed by a consecutive layup from Jordan. Miller landed two baskets, shooting 5-for-6 on the day. Strayhorn's three-pointer at 4:43 and Centrulla's triple at 1:18 secured the Hawks' lead at 77-68. IUP sealed the victory with six made free throws, closing out an 83-70 win and keeping their undefeated conference record.
Up Next
IUP returns to the KCAC on Wednesday, January 8 for a game against Gannon, tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.
