INDIANA, Pa. - The Indiana (Pa.) women's basketball team entered the week as the nation's fifth-best defensive unit, allowing 49.5 points per game. The ninth-ranked Crimson Hawks showcased that defensive unit Saturday night, holding the country's best three-point shooting team to a 9-of-30 showing from behind the arc and posted a 65-52 victory over Gannon before 1,200 fans at the Memorial Field House.

Indiana (Pa.) scored the first nine points of the game and never trailed during the 13-point victory. The Crimson Hawks bumped their lead into double digits 5:53 into the contest and used another 9-0 run late in the first half to grab their largest lead (29-12) of the first 20 minutes on Jahzinga Tracey's lay-up at the 4:40 mark. The home team's lead stood at 39-23 as the first-half horn sounded.

Gannon produced seven of the first nine points after the break, cutting the deficit to 41-30 on Tiffany Crocker's (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) triple with 15:10 to play. However, IUP quickly regained control with the next nine points and assumed a 50-30 lead with 10:26 showing on the clock.

Julie Kleber's (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) jumper with nine seconds left accounted for the final 65-52 score as the Lady Knights scored the final seven points of the contest.

Kristina Freeman (Yonkers, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) was the lone Lady Knight in double digits with 10 points. In the process, the junior guard moved into 21st place all-time at Gannon with 857 career points.

Gannon entered the game with the nation's second-best field goal percentage (48.4), but shot only 35.1 percent (20-57) from the field. The Lady Knights shot 30 percent (9-30) from behind the arc and 75 percent (3-4) from the free throw line.

Head coach Cleve Wright's squad was out-rebounded (36-35) for the first time since February 19, 2008. The Lady Knights also had 21 turnovers compared to 14 assists.

Tracey, one of the Atlantic region's premier players, led IUP with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Kierstin Filla and Lacey Claar added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Indiana (Pa.) shot 41.8 percent (23-55) from the floor, 38.5 percent (5-13) from three-point range, and 87.5 percent (14-16) from the charity stripe.

Gannon, which was among others receiving votes in the latest USA Today ESPN Division II Top 25, dropped to 14-3 overall and 2-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. IUP improved to 15-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Lady Knights return to action Wednesday, January 28 at Edinboro. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

For a complete box score from Saturday's Gannon-IUP women's basketball game, please click here.