DuBOIS, Pa. — The men’s and women’s basketball teams at Penn State DuBois recently saw their seasons come to a close at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championship tournaments in Buffalo, New York. The two games each team played in the tournament capped off historic seasons for both teams.
The Lady Lions, who earned a spot in the national championship tournament for the first time in program history, entered as the number ten seeded team and started off their tournament run against the seventh seeded team, Cincinnati-Clermont. Penn State DuBois struggled offensively against Cincinnati-Clermont, falling 56-40 at the Burt Flickinger Center.
The Lady Lions shot just 32% from the field and 15.8% from three-point range, unable to keep pace with the Cougars, who capitalized on turnovers and second-chance opportunities. Cincinnati-Clermont scored 21 points off turnovers and held a 16-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Sophomore forward Natalie Bowser led Penn State DuBois with a double-double, recording 11 points and 14 rebounds. Frances Milliron and Elizabeth Hungiville each added eight points, with Hungiville grabbing six boards. Shannon Shaw chipped in six points, while the Lady Lions managed just three made three-pointers as a team.
The Cougars were paced by Tyra Murphy, who scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Tamira Scott and Olivia Crawford each added nine points, helping Cincinnati-Clermont maintain control throughout the game despite shooting only 27% from the field.
Penn State DuBois kept the game close early, trailing just 21-15 after the first quarter. However, a cold second quarter saw them muster only nine points, falling behind 33-24 at halftime. The Lady Lions struggled even more in the third, managing just six points as Cincinnati-Clermont extended its lead to 16 entering the final period.
Despite holding their opponent to just 17.6% shooting in the fourth quarter, the Lady Lions could not generate enough offense to mount a comeback.
With the loss on the first day of the tournament, the Lady Lions fell into a consolation matchup against a familiar opponent, Penn State York. In the game, the Lady Lions mounted a strong fourth-quarter comeback but fell just short in a 54-52 loss to York in consolation play.
Trailing by 14 points entering the final quarter, DuBois outscored York 21-15 in the final frame, but their rally was cut short as time expired.
Hungiville delivered a dominant performance with a game-high 22 points and 19 rebounds, including 12-of-15 shooting from the free-throw line. Milliron added 11 points, while Shannon Shaw chipped in nine on three made three-pointers. Despite shooting just 23.8% from the field and 22.2% from three-point range, Penn State DuBois stayed in the game with relentless rebounding, finishing with a 61-37 advantage on the glass. Senior forward Tara Leamer provided a spark off the bench with 12 rebounds and three points.
Penn State York overcame a slow start to take control in the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Lions 17-7 to build a nine-point halftime lead. Abigail McAlexander paced York with 15 points, while Jillian Foster and Delaney Burroughs combined for 15 more. York struggled from beyond the arc, missing all 13 of its three-point attempts, but made up for it with points in the paint and transition, outscoring DuBois 24-14 inside and 10-0 on the fast break.
Penn State DuBois clawed its way back in the fourth, cutting the deficit to two points in the final minute, but York held on for the narrow victory.
The Lady Lions finished their season with a record of 14-12 overall, 12-5 within the conference.