EDINBORO, Pa. -- The IUP women's basketball team upset top-seeded Edinboro in the Atlantic Region Semifinals, 67-52 Saturday evening after their 26-10 fourth quarter surge.

IUP advances to the Atlantic Region Championship and will face No. 2 Gannon on Monday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. inside McComb Fieldhouse.

IUP is now 23-7 on the season and this win marked head coach Craig Carey's second NCAA Tournament win. The last time IUP advanced to the region championship was in 2019 under head coach Tom McConnell. That year IUP won the region title and appeared in the final four. 

Ellie Wilkerson led the charge for the Hawks with 24 points and is now tied for third in single game points during the NCAA Tournament in IUP history. She made 9-of-15 FG attempts including four three pointers, grabbed seven rebounds, four steals, and posted one block. Shamia Strayhorn followed with 18 points, seven made FG, five rebounds, and two steals. Nyshae' Weaver led the team with 10 rebounds, had two steals, and scored eight points.

IUP averaged 30% from the field through the first three quarters but in the fourth IUP shot 53% from the field and made 8-of-11 free throw attempts. IUP scored 26 points off turnovers, capitalizing from Edinboro's 19 turnovers compared to their eight.

Strayhorn made the first layup of the game and then Wilkerson followed with a 6-0 run from herself. Edinboro got out to a two possession lead but three consecutive baskets from IUP put them within one point, 15-14 at 1:45 in the first. 

Weaver and Marin Miller got things moving for the Hawks as they opened up the second quarter with consecutive baskets to chip away at Edinboro's eight-point lead. Wilkerson's three pointer and layup cut IUP's trail back to three before halftime, 30-27. 

Wilkerson began the third with a triple at 9:46 which tied the game at 30 each. Strayhorn made a jumper and then a steal by Lily Jordan passed to Janeira Scott set up Wilkerson for another three pointer at 7:32. The Fighting Scots got back into the lead after a 7-0 run. Jordan hit a layup just under a minute and then Strayhorn made a free throw to put the Hawks within one, 42-41 with one quarter to play.

Each Wilkerson and Strayhorn opened the fourth quarter scoring five points each within the first three minutes. Strayhorn's three-pointer at 4:05 put IUP ahead by 11, their largest lead of the night. Jordan made a layup at 2:34, IUP's final seven points came from free throws. 

Up Next
No. 4 IUP will take on the No. 2 seed Gannon in the Atlantic Region Championship on Monday, March 17, at 7:00 p.m. inside McComb Fieldhouse.

Follow 
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB.