Box Score

ASTON, Pa.- Needing a win to wrap up the number two seed and a bye to the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Semifinals in the postseason, the Mighty Macs travelled to Neumann on Monday night, and the Knights (11-13, 8-7 CSAC) took a late first half lead and never let IU take it back the rest of the way as the Mighty Macs (14-9, 11-3 CSAC) fell, 71-61.  Despite the loss, the Mighty Macs are still able to wrap up the number two seed with a win in either of their final two games against Centenary.
 
Senior Brittany Merkle posted her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, both of which led the team, on 5-of-6 shooting from the field.  Senior Sara Smith added 13 points and senior Mackie Fitzgerald chipped in with 11 points.  Smith moved into 15^th on the all-time scoring list with 1,123 points, passing Sheila Johnson (1981-85).
 
Seniors Adriana Sciascia (9 points) and Alison Zimny (4 points, 6 rebounds) each had four steals in the game, and with her nine points, Sciascia eclipsed the 700-point mark for her career.
 
The Mighty Macs started the game red-hot as they raced out to a 15-6 lead just six minutes into the game.  Smith scored the first four, and after Neumann's first basket three minutes into the game, Fitzgerald drilled a three and Zimny hit a pair of free throws to put IU up 9-2 early.  After Neumann scored again, Merkle would convert two lay-ups around a bucket by Zimny to give IU a nine-point lead early on, their largest of the game.
 
However, Neumann showed some fight as they are hoping to grab the final CSAC playoff spot as they went on an 11-3 run over the next four minutes themselves that cut the IU lead to one point at 18-17.  Neumann would eventually take the lead 20-19, but a basket by sophomore Reilly Larkin (8 points) put IU back in front.  Neumann would convert an offensive rebound opportunity on the next possession to go up 22-21, and the Mighty Macs would never get the lead back the rest of the way.
 
Neumann would get their lead up to six at 32-26 with a minute to go before the half, but free throws by Fitzgerald and a jumper by Sciascia sent the teams to the half with Neumann up 32-30.
 
Scaiscia tied the game up a 32-32 with a pair of free throws on IU's first possession, but Neumann scored seven of the next nine points to go up 39-34 with 16 minutes remaining.  Neumann swelled their lead up to seven points at 49-42 with nine minutes to go when IU cut into the lead.
 
Smith hit a free throw followed by a jumper from Merkle that trimmed the lead to four points.  After a Neumann bucket, Scaiscia hit a triple to make it 51-48 with seven minutes left in the game.  The Mighty Macs kept battling and got it down to two points after a Neumann basket as Merkle hit a free throw and lay-up to put the score at 53-51.
 
Neumann would grow their lead back to five, but Immaculata converted four straight free throws by Merkle and Smith to put the score at 57-56 with just 3:29 left in the game.  However, Neumann would score eight straight over the next 2:23 to go up 65-56 and put the game away en route to dealing Immaculata the 71-61 loss.
 
Today's loss is the first time the Mighty Macs have lost back-to-back games since November 20^th and 22^nd when they dropped games to Moravian and DeSales.
 
IU will look to bounce back and clinch the No. 2 seed on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. when they host Centenary and will honor their 10 seniors prior to the game.