INDIANA, Pa. – The Clarion women's basketball team was unable to keep up with one of the best teams in the nation on Saturday, dropping an 82-50 decision to #6/9 IUP at the Kovalchick Center.  The Golden Eagles (3-16, 1-12 PSAC) took an early lead in the contest before falling behind to the Crimson Hawks, who had big second- and fourth quarters to secure the win.
 
Yasmin Lewis was highly efficient from the field, going 6-of-7 for 12 points, while Yndiah Bobo, Jada Smith and Celeste Ryman all chipped in eight points.  Smith led Clarion's rebounding effort with five boards.
 
As it turned out, rebounding was the spot where the Crimson Hawks held the biggest advantage over the Golden Eagles, outrebounding them 42-18 on the night.  IUP also blocked seven Clarion shots, including a pair by Natalie Myers.
 
The Golden Eagles opened the game on a 13-4 run, with Ke'Airah Massiah putting them ahead at the 6:28 mark and Ryman drilling a three-pointer to increase the lead to 11-4.  Bobo closed out the run with a transition bucket after Smith forced Justina Mascaro to turn the ball over.  She dished to Bobo who took it the other way and laid it in to make it 13-4.  IUP pulled within one basket with just over a minute to go in the first period after Natalie Myers scored off an offensive second-chance opportunity, making it 13-11 at the break.  Lewis kept Clarion ahead with a layup that made it 17-14, and Neely Whitehead contributed a three-pointer at the 8:14 mark of the second quarter to extend the lead to four points. 
 
The Crimson Hawks countered with a big run at the end of the first half, turning what had been a two-point deficit into a 10-point lead on a make from Lexi Griggs.  The advantage ran to 11 points just before the half on a layup by Maura D'Anna, and IUP never trailed the rest of the way.  Clarion kept it close in the third period but were ultimately outscored in the quarter, and the Crimson Hawks posted a big run in the fourth to set the outcome.