CLARION, Pa. – Clarion gave No. 25 IUP all it wanted for 32 minutes before falling to the visiting Crimson Hawks 87-72 in PSAC West men's basketball action Saturday night at Tippin Gym.
 
The Golden Eagles (6-11 overall, 4-10 PSAC West) trailed by just six, 65-59, and had the basketball with 7:52 to play when BJ Andrews was whistled for a charge that the Clarion bench believed was a flop by the IUP player. It was the sixth and final offensive foul (charges and illegal screens) called on Clarion in the game.
 
IUP (17-3, 11-3) used the call to spark a 10-2 run that put the Crimson Hawks up 14, 75-61, with 4:02 to play. Clarion was never able to get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
 
Andrews led all scorers with a career-high 23 points besting his previous career best of 21 Jan. 14 vs. Mercyhurst and just missed a double-double finishing with nine rebounds. Kyheim Hall added 16 points, four rebounds and four steals for Clarion, which was held to half (6) of its season average in steals (12). Rob Agurs chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Shawn Dyer led six IUP players in double figures with 20 points while adding five rebounds and four assists. Brandon Norfleet had 18 points, Devante Chance 16 points to go with five boards and four helpers, Tevin Hanner 11 tallies and Daddy Ugbede and Jeremy Jeffers 10 apiece.
 
Clarion had its strongest first half in the last five games and led IUP 35-34 at the break. The Golden Eagles were 14 of 36 shooting in the half after connecting on just 27 first-half shots in their previous four contests. Hall led the way with nine points, while Andrews had seven and Brandon Williams, who finished with 6, scored all six before the break.
 
But IUP started the second half with an 18-6 run paced by six from Norfeelt and five from Jeffers to go up 52-41 just over 4 ½ minutes into the half.
 
The Crimson Hawks still led by 11, 63-52, following a Chance triple with 10:18 to play before Clarion answered with a 7-2 run that saw Hall get a pair of layups and Andrews hit a 3-pointer to close within the six with 8:13 left. Chance then turned the ball over, and Clarion looked poised to be within four when Andrews was whistled for the offensive infraction.
 
Clarion returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown.