SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - - Behind a 16-point, nine-rebound performance from Makenzie Cluesman and clutch foul shooting from Taylor Sandidge, UVa-Wise overcame a 12 point fourth quarter deficit to post a 54-51 win over the University of Indiana – Pennsylvania Saturday. The Cavaliers finished the contest on a 22-9 run to capture their first victory of the young season and even their record at 1-1.
IUP (0-2) finished the third quarter with a 12 point lead thanks to a late bucket by Brittany Robinson. At the time, it gave the Crimson Hawks their largest lead of the second half but cracks were beginning to form in IUP's defense.
UVa-Wise (1-1) failed to score more than nine points in either of the first two quarters of the game. In fact, the Cavs made just five of 27 field goal attempts in the first half and entered intermission trailing 26-15. The narrative changed in the third quarter as UVa-Wise shot 45.5 percent from the field and a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe en route to 15 points.
The Cavs depth and hot hand continued in the final 10 minutes of the contest. Playing 12 or more players for the second consecutive day, UVa-Wise appeared to be the fresher team in the final quarter. Kunzman's squad would shoot 70 percent from the field in the final stanza and connect on 7-8 foul shots.
The tide began to turn at the 7:57 mark when freshman Natalie Boothe drained a 3-pointer off a Cluesman pass. The Riner, Va. product's bucket would be the start of a 12-2 run that saw the Cavs build a 48-46 lead. A 3-poiner by junior Allison Ball with 2:08 to play gave UVa-Wise a 47-46 lead, her team's first lead since the 8:24 mark of the second quarter when they led 12-10.
The Crimson Hawks would tie the game at 48-48 on a Megan Smith jumper with less than a minute to play but the senior combo of Cluesman and Sandidge refused to let the Cavs lose. Cluesman scored inside off a Kayla Carey pass to give UVa-Wise a 50-48 lead with 38 ticks to play.
On IUP's next possession, Carolyn Appleby missed a go ahead 3-pointer; Sandidge boarded the miss and was instantly fouled. The Waynesboro, Va. native calmly sank two free throws to make it a two-score game at 52-48.
Smith responded with a 3-pointer to make it a one point game with eight seconds left. UVa-Wise would get the ball to Sandidge and the senior came through once more with two made foul shots to push the lead to three at 54-51.
Appleby would get one last shot at the hoop to force overtime but her attempt was no good giving UVa-Wise its first win of the year.
One could argue that without the first half efforts of Cluesman and Kayla Carey, UVa-Wise would have never been in a position to come back. As a team, the Cavs shot 5-27 from the field in the first 20 minutes with all five makes coming from Cluesman and Carey. Combined, the players scored 11 of their team's 15 first half points.
Cluesman scored her 16 points on 7-14 shooting; the Jonesville, Va. native added three assists and a steal to go along with her nine boards in the triumph.
Carey recorded double figures for the second consecutive game as she netted 14 points, Sandidge chipped in 12 points and Ball finished with eight points.
For the second consecutive game, UVa-Wise owned the glass. The Cavs won the battle of the boards 40-30 and limited the Crimson Hawks to just two second chance points.
IUP received a game-high 17 points from Appleby while Smith scored 16 points. Brittany Robinson led all players with 11 rebounds in defeat.
The Cavs will open the home portion of their schedule Wednesday when Winston-Salem State visits the Prior Center in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
