INDIANA, Pa. - For the third time this season, the Gannon men's basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 5 Indiana (Pa.). For the third time, the Crimson Hawks pulled away late in the game. IUP out-scored Gannon 22-12 over the final 9:51 and posted a 62-53 victory Tuesday night in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Quarterfinal game at the Memorial Field House.

Gannon took its first lead since the opening minutes on Travis Brannen's (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira Free Academy) three-pointer with 13:26 to play. The long-range missile gave the Golden Knights a 38-36 lead.

Head coach John T. Reilly's club still led 41-40 when Indiana (Pa.) slowly began to take control. The Crimson Hawks regained the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Boston College transfer Akida McLain, forging ahead 42-41 with 9:51 remaining.

The free throws were the start of 10 consecutive IUP points. Julian Sanders scored the final five points, including a jumper that pushed the IUP lead to 50-41 at the 5:38 mark.

Gannon tried to rally one last time, cutting the deficit to 51-46 on a Danard Crouch (Syracuse, N.Y./Anthony Henninger) three-pointer and a Steve Piotrowicz (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) free throw. However, Sanders hit the big shot as he did during the Crimson Hawks' victory at the Hammermill Center on January 23. The sophomore nailed his second three-pointer of the second half to extend the difference back to eight points. Indiana (Pa.) then out-scored Gannon 8-7 the rest of the way en route to a 62-53 victory.

IUP opened a 10-point deficit on three different occasions in the first half. The Golden Knights ended the stanza on a 9-4 run to cut the deficit to 30-25 at the break.

The IUP lead sat at 36-27 early in the second half, before Gannon regained the upper hand and set up the finish with 11 straight points. George Johnson (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) started the rally that ended with Brannen's triple.

Brannen led Gannon in scoring with 12 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two assists. Piotrowicz was the only other Golden Knight in double digits with 11 points and six rebounds.

Gannon shot 41.3 percent (19-46) from the field, 17.6 percent (3-17) from three-point range and 60 percent (12-20) from the free throw line.

McLain headlined four IUP players in double digits with 13 points despite going 3-of-12 from the field. Sanders and Darryl Webb added 11 points. Kevin Stewart chipped in 10 points.

IUP shot 30.2 percent (19-63) from the floor, 23.1 percent (3-13) from behind the arc and 75 percent (21-28) from the charity stripe.

Gannon concluded its season at 13-15. Indiana (Pa.) improved to 26-2 and will play at East Stroudsburg in Friday's PSAC semifinals.

For a complete box score from Tuesday's Gannon-IUP men's basketball PSAC Quarterfinal game, please click here.