SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — IUP women’s basketball ran out of steam in a 52-48 road setback to Slippery Rock on Wednesday night at Morrow Field House.
Slippery Rock (11-8, 6-7) snapped a 29-game losing streak to IUP (13-5, 8-5), posting the team’s first win in 16 years. Isabellah Middleton dropped in a game-high 19 points with nine rebounds, while Deleah Gibson notched 16 points, five rebounds and four steals.
The Rock ended the game on a 7-0 run, keyed by Gibson’s go-ahead layup with 48 seconds remaining before icing the game at the foul line. Teirra Preston, who battled first half foul trouble for IUP, notched 14 points in the second half to go along with 14 rebounds on the night in a spirited effort.
Gina Adams added 12 points for the Hawks, who shot 34.6 percent for the game. While Slippery Rock shot just 29.7 percent for the game with several cold spells. The Rock built an 18-13 advantage in the first quarter, holding the lead for nearly 26 minutes in the contest.
Kennedy Middleton added seven points for Slippery Rock, while Kiera Baughman posted seven points, six rebounds and four assists for the Hawks. Overall, IUP went just 3-for-18 from deep, while The Rock sank just one 3 on the night in a gritty contest.
The first quarter had a combined 20 turnovers with both sides starting slow. It was a precursor for things to come in the opening half with the teams combining for 25 fouls and 34 turnovers. Adams led IUP with eight points and four rebounds, playing all 20 minutes of the opening half.
While IUP had some open looks from deep early, the Hawks led just 4-3 about three minutes in. Scott logged a steal and raced ahead for an easy bucket and a 6-4 advantage. Slippery Rock countered with a 5-0 run in a tightly contested frame. Out of the initial media timeout of the game, Adams converted a 3 from the right wing in a turnover-plagued stanza.
Kelley McKnight helped The Rock to a 6-0 run with an elbow jumper as IUP endured a scoreless stretch following some sloppy play. Playing without key inside presence Alana Cardona, Preston was called for her third foul with just over 1:30 left in the first quarter, while the Hawks went without a bucket for over four minutes in the stanza. Adams dropped in two foul shots, trimming the IUP deficit to 18-13 after the opening quarter.
Jazmyne DeShields carved inside for an athletic basket in the paint before Cerro converted through contact to get IUP back to within 20-17 in the second quarter. Both sides went scoreless for several minutes in a choppy stretch with Slippery Rock leading 22-17 at the second quarter media timeout. The shooting woes continued as the clock dipped under two minutes with The Rock leading 26-19.
Josie Smith converted a transition hoop from Cerro, bringing IUP to within three at 26-23 in the first half with about 10 seconds left. Trailing 30-23, Adams worked underneath for an open look, becoming the first Crimson Hawk in double figures on the night. Slippery Rock maintained its narrow advantage before the Hawks countered back to within two, capped with a slick feed from Baughman to Preston at 5:37 in the third.
Preston provided IUP its first lead since 4:14 in the first with a foul shot, making the score 36-35 at 3:50 in the third. Slippery Rock promptly took the lead right back, pushing the advantage to 41-36 with a 6-0 spurt as IUP went cold once again. Preston tried her best to will IUP back on both ends of the court, slicing the IUP deficit to 41-38 late in the third and 41-40 early in the fourth.
In transition, DeShields netted a triple from the left wing for a 46-43 IUP advantage at 7:33 in the fourth. The Rock went cold from the floor, converting just one of their last 12 field goals as the clock ticked under the midway point of the fourth quarter. IUP went scoreless for nearly four minutes as well, clinging to a 46-45 edge, before Baughman finished underneath for a timely bucket.
Slippery Rock moved ahead on a steal and score from Gibson with under one minute remaining. The Rock secured a crucial defensive rebound after Preston saved the ball with 28 seconds remaining. Alyssa Gillin made one of two at the line, pushing The Rock ahead 50-48 with 25 seconds remaining.
With possession, the Hawks tossed the ball away on a cross-court swing pass. Slippery Rock’s Gibson iced the game at the foul line with two makes for a 52-48 advantage.
IUP returns home for its third game this week, welcoming East Stroudsburg to the KCAC on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
