EDINBORO, Pa. – The Edinboro women's basketball team clinched the number two seed in the upcoming PSAC Tournament in impressive fashion on Saturday with an 81-63 win over Mercyhurst at McComb Fieldhouse. The Fighting Scots, ranked 11th in the latest WBCA Division II Top 25 and 12th in the D2SIDA poll, improve to 23-3 overall and 19-3 in the PSAC West. The loss concluded Mercyhurst's season at 10-18 and 8-14, respectively.
Edinboro now enters PSAC Tournament play for the ninth straight year, and will receive a first-round bye before hosting the winner of Monday's California(Pa.)-Slippery Rock game in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, February 28. They have won 10 of their last 11 games.
The Fighting Scots have now won 13 of the last 14 meetings with Mercyhurst. They used a fast getaway to build a big lead. Head coach Stan Swank's team led 24-13 after one period, and expanded that advantage to 47-30 at the half.
They lead would grow to as many as 21 points at 53-32 early in the third quarter. The young Lakers would outscore Edinboro, 8-1, over the final four minutes to pull to within 57-45 after three quarters.
Mercyhurst inched to within eight points at 60-52 with 9:11 to play on Eliza Oswalt's 3-pointer, but Edinboro answered with a 9-2 burst as Michelle Jahn accounted for six points on a 3-pointer, free throw, and a layup. That made it 69-54 with just over six minutes to play. The lead never got under double figures after that.
Sophomore Michaela Barnes stole the day on Senior Day as she finished with a game-high 24 points. She made 11-of-19 field goals, with a 3-pointer and a free throw. Two of the four seniors recognized in pre-game ceremonies – Ciara Rosten and Jontay Walton – scored 17 points apiece. Rosten registered her 16th double-double while adding 11 rebounds. She made 7-of-13 field goals and was 3-of-5 at the line. Rosten added five assists and a pair of blocks. Walton not only scored 17 points but had six assists and three steals.
Oswalt was the lone player in double figures for Mercyhurst.
Edinboro shot 41.3 percent from the floor (31-of-75) while making 6-of-19 3-pointers and 13-of-20 free throws. Mercyhurst was held to 36.9 percent (24-of-65), including 5-of-17 three's, and went 10-of-15 at the line.
Edinboro held a 47-43 advantage on the glass, as Whitney Allen pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds. The Fighting Scots forced 20 Mercyhurst turnover while committing 12, leading to a 19-5 advantage in points off turnovers. Edinboro had a 22-0 lead in fast break points and outscored the Lakers, 49-28, in the paint.
