CLARION, Pa. — The Golden Eagles (10-9, 5-6 PSAC) put up a fierce fight but ultimately fell to IUP (13-3, 8-2 PSAC) in a narrow 73-68 loss on Saturday at Tippin Gym. Despite leading at halftime, Clarion couldn't fend off the Crimson Hawks' second-half surge, which was powered by nine three-pointers.
Right out of the gate, Clarion came in hot, jumping to a 5–0 lead in the first minute.
Gavin Cote drained a three-pointer off a crisp assist from
Jeremy Thomas II, who followed up with a layup of his own. The Golden Eagles showed off their efficient ball movement, racking up 12 assists in the first half and keeping IUP at bay.
Thomas was a driving force, owning the paint and delivering a crucial dunk at 17:03 to keep the Golden Eagles in the lead. A late first-half blitz saw them stretch their advantage with fast-break action, capped by a
Michael Moore dunk at 1:22. By halftime, the Golden Eagles led 40–29, using solid defense and quick breaks to their advantage.
The Golden Eagles kicked off the second half with Thomas scoring a layup at 19:37, assisted by
Trey Nelson, to sustain their lead. Nonetheless, the Crimson Hawks chipped away at the margin, highlighted by Christian Moore's 3-pointer at 14:19.
Midway through the half,
Kendon Peebles nailed a three-pointer at 16:24, giving Clarion a brief edge. However, turnovers and fast breaks allowed the Crimson Hawks to seize control, with Moore's clutch three-pointer at 6:20 putting them ahead.
As the game wound down, Cote's jumper at 1:34 kept the Golden Eagles within striking distance, but IUP held firm, closing out the game 73-68.
Thomas led Clarion with a double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Cote chipped in 13 points, hitting three from beyond the arc and snagging three steals. Nelson added 11 points and six assists, driving the team's ball distribution, while Peebles contributed 10 points and two steals to the defensive effort.
