IUP Wins Second Straight Women's Hoops Title
IUP 67, California 63|
Tournament MVP: Staci Heberling, IUP
IUP outscored California 14-1 over the final 7:04 to rally from a nine-point deficit and post a 67-63 victory over the Vulcans to claim its second straight PSAC women's basketball championship Saturday night at Memorial Field House.
IUP (27-4) earned the automatic bid from the PSAC to the NCAA Division II tournament and will likely be named the host of the East Region tournament when the sites and pairings are announced Sunday night. California (24-6) will also be in the field of eight despite losing to the Crimson Hawks in
the PSAC final for the second consecutive year.
Tournament MVP Staci Heberling scored 17 points, pulled down nine rebounds, dished out four assists, made four steals and blocked two shots to lead IUP. Jahzinga Tracey added 16 points, Kylie Miller had 11, including three 3-pointers and Kierstin Filla scored 10 points and dished out five assists.
Heberling hit 5 of 6 from the field and all seven of her free throws, including a pair with 29 seconds left that gave IUP a 65-63 lead, the first time the Crimson Hawks were ahead since holding a 42-40 edge with 16:22 left in the game.
California's Brooque Williams, who led all scorers with 19 points, stepped out of bounds while driving the baseline with 11.6 seconds remaining and then fouled Filla five seconds later. Filla drained both free throws to provide IUP with its final margin of victory.
Amber Dubyak scored 15 points and Crystal Andrews added 14 points and six assists for the Vulcans, who were making their eighth straight appearances in the PSAC championship game and are 4-4 in those contests.
In addition to holding California to only one point over the final 7:04, the Crimson Hawks also prevented the Vulcans from connecting from the field after Williams made a layup with 9:25 left in the game to give the visitors a 60-53 lead. Kayla Smith made a free throw with 7:28 left and Williams added another at the 7:05 mark to leave California in front 62-53.
Heberling was fouled while grabbing the rebound after Williams missed the second free throw, and made both to launch the game-turning run. Three baskets by Tracey and a layup by Heberling over the next 5:12 tied the game at 63. Williams missed a jumper and Lindsay Johnson could not connect on a
layup off the offensive rebound.
Heberling grabbed the rebound on the Johnson miss as well as a Miller missed 3-pointer on the offensive end and was fouled by Shaquetta Mance, making both free throws to put IUP ahead to stay.
Mance, who scored a career-high 33 points in a 71-69 California victory at Memorial Field House two weeks ago, was just 1 for 8 from the field and scored two points in the loss on Saturday. PSAC West Rookie of the Year candidate Kayla Smith was in foul trouble early and managed only three
points.
With its 27th victory, IUP set a new school record for most wins in a season, eclipsing the 1998-99 team which finished 26-6, including wins over Millersville and Shippensburg at Memorial Field House to advance to the Elite Eight for the only time in the program's history.