Signature win: Cal deals No. 2 IUP first loss, takes PSAC West lead
Observer-Reporter
California University women’s basketball coach Jess Strom will have four new players next season to go with holdovers from last season’s 21-win team.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
California’s Mia Cushon drives to the basket while being defended by IUP’s Brittany Robinson Wednesday at the Convocation Center.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
California’s Shatara Parsons takes a shot as IUP’s Megan Smith tries to block Wednesday at the Convocation Center.
California’s Mia Cushon and IUP’s Brittany Robinson tries for the rebound during a game at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018.
CALIFORNIA – In a first-place showdown in the PSAC’s West Division Wednesday night, California University’s women’s basketball team defeated previously unbeaten IUP, 62-53.
The win was big for Cal, which bounced back from an upset loss Saturday at Seton Hill and moved the Vulcans (11-1, 16-2) a half-game ahead of IUP (10-1, 15-1) in the standings. IUP entered the game ranked NO. 2 in NCAA Division II.
“This is a signature win for us,” Cal coach Jess Strom said. “IUP is a very good team and this was big.”
Cal’s defense was stellar all night and held IUP, who entered the game leading the PSAC in scoring at 82 points per game, to 29 points below its average.
The 14th-ranked Vulcans used a late 10-0 run to seal the win and Strom talked about how she stressed defense in the huddle heading into the fourth quarter.
“We told the girls to lock down over those last 10 minutes,” she said. “They score a ton of points and they can all score.”
During the 10-0 run, Cal forced IUP to miss eight consecutive shots.
Forward Shatara Parsons, who shared game scoring honors with teammate Mia Cushon with 17 points while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds, said she had extra motivation for the game in the form of the memory of a former teammate.
“It was big for me, and the coaches, because it was three years ago (Monday) that Shanice (Clark) passed away,” she said referring to Clark, whose unexpected death inspired Cal to the 2015 national championship. “I wanted to get this one for her.”
There was a feeling out process early between the longtime rivals.
Both defenses played well and points were at a premium for most of the first quarter as Cal led 16-14 after 10 minutes.
The biggest lead of the quarter was 11-8 in favor of IUP, when Carolyn Appleby hit a three-pointer. Cal held IUP scoreless until the one-minute mark and DJ Hahn’s three-pointer gave Cal the 16-14 lead.
The Vulcans did not turn the ball over in the quarter and forced six IUP turnovers, but they turned those miscues into only four points.
Strom said Cal missed a golden opportunity to build a bigger lead.
“It was frustrating but we stayed positive and told the team to keep pressuring them,” she said. “A lot of time, teams that like to pass around quickly and shoot don’t like to dribble and don’t like pressure.
“We kept playing defense, and if we had hit layups then we would have been up 10 early.”
The Crimson Hawks took a 28-23 lead with 1:22 to play in the half after Brittany Robinson scored on a layup, and it gave her 16 points at the half.
Cal, however, held Robinson scoreless in the second half.
Hahn made a three-pointer off of an assist from Abbey Sporio to make the score 28-26 at the half.
IUP shot 55 percent in the first half but had 13 turnovers.
The defensive battle continued into the second half as both teams had trouble scoring.
Cushon scored on an conventional three-point play to give the Vulcans a 29-28 lead with 7:04 left in the third quarter. The scoring picked up as the quarter progressed and it ended with IUP clinging to a 44-43 lead.
With Cal trailing 46-45 with 8:48 to play, Parsons ignited the pivotal 10-0 run. By the time Lexie Griggs scored for IUP with 2:47 remaining, the Vulcans led 55-48 and IUP got no closer than five points the rest of the way.
The Vulcans made their last seven free throws with Cushon hitting four and Jasper three.
The clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch was a pleasant change for Cal, which made only three of its first 12 free-throw attempts.
“We talked about that after the game,” she said. “I am really proud of them and (Cushon and Jasper) came up big.”
Jasper (14 points) and Hahn (11) joined Parsons and Cushon in double figures. Sporio played a solid floor game with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Robinson and Appleby (14) finished in double figures for IUP while Megan Smith, who came in averaging more than 18 points per game, was limited to seven.