IUP played host to East Stroudsburg Saturday and the Warriors left the KCAC with a 71-53 loss to the Crimson Hawks women and a 67-53 loss to the top-ranked IUP men.
Here’s the recap from U92’s Jack Benedict, the Voice of the Hawks.
Comments from IUP women’s coach Craig Carey
Comments from IUP men’s coach Joe Lombardi
More on the women’s game, from IUP Sports Information
IUP women’s basketball had another strong defensive effort, bouncing back with a 71-53 victory on Saturday afternoon at the KCAC to close out a busy week.
IUP (14-5, 9-5) pulled away following a slow start, outscoring East Stroudsburg (11-9, 7-7) by a 42-26 margin over the second half. Alana Cardona provided IUP a big spark in the first half in her return to the lineup, particularly from beyond the arc, finishing with 18 points (4-4 3FG) and 10 boards for a double-double.
Maria Cerro poured in a game-high 24 points on an efficient 10-for-13 shooting effort, posting 15 of those points in the second half. Leading by just two at the break, IUP quickly widened the third quarter margin to double figures with a 10-2 scoring run.
ESU, led by an 18-point point outing from Cassidy Saylor, trimmed its deficit to as little as four points in the fourth quarter with a resilient approach. Again the Hawks responded, using a decisive 11-2 spurt near the midway point of the fourth to pull away for good.
More on the men’s game, from IUP Sports Information
Facing one of the top offensive teams in the country, top-ranked IUP men’s basketball answered the challenge on the defensive end in a 67-53 triumph against 25th-ranked East Stroudsburg on Saturday afternoon at the KCAC.
IUP (20-0, 14-0) keeps its unbeaten record in tact and continues its stellar run of success in home games over the last few seasons. Tomiwa Sulaiman scored 14 points after halftime, finishing with a double-double for the game with 18 and 10. Shawndale Jones also added 18 points for IUP, passing out six assists in the victory.
East Stroudsburg (15-5, 9-5) forced IUP into a season-high 18 turnovers with its press defense, getting back to within five points in the second half. IUP countered with a key 11-2 spurt, which turned a 33-28 lead into a 44-30 edge with 12:41 remaining. The Warriors, who shot 41.4% for the game, could not get back within single digits the rest of the way.
ESU entered the game fourth nationally in scoring offense at over 90 points/game, but were limited to a season-low 53 points. IUP collected 12 steals on the night, coming from eight different players and shot 46.1% in the second half to pull away. The Hawks have now won 31 consecutive games dating back to last season, extending their home winning streak to 25 at the KCAC.
