INDIANA, Pa.- The West Chester University women's basketball team (6-4, 2-2) opened 2026 with another clash against a nationally-ranked foe as the youthful Golden Rams visited No. 9 Indiana (Pa.) (11-0, 5-0) on Friday afternoon. West Chester found itself down early and, despite a strong second-quarter performance, was never able to climb back into it as the Golden Rams opened 2026 with an 85-50 setback inside the Kovalchick Convention Center and Athletic Complex.
West Chester found itself down 6-0 in the first two-plus minutes of the game before
Kimi Sayson (Oceanport, N.J/Shore Regional) scored the first points of 2026 with a runner in the lane with 7:31 left in the first quarter, which cut the deficit to 6-2.
Lena Stein (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) scored four quick points for West Chester, including a perfect trip to the line, which cut the deficit to 11-6 with five minutes to play before the Crimson Hawks held West Chester without a made field goal for over four-and-a-half minutes as the Crimson Hawks built a 17-7 lead with under a minute to play in the first quarter.
The Golden Rams were just 2-for-11 (18.2 %) from the field in the first quarter, including a 1-for-8 effort down the stretch, which meant despite IUP going 0-for-6 from the field to close the quarter, the Crimson Hawks carried a 19-7 lead into the second after going 6-for-7 from the free throw line. West Chester also committed six turnovers in the first quarter, which led to a 6-0 lead in points off turnovers for the hosts.
Bella Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) halted the Golden Rams drought from the field with a quick layup off an assist from
Ava Mazur (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) to make the score 19-9 just nine seconds into the second quarter.
IUP countered with a quick 6-0 run in under two minutes, including a blocked layup, which led to a fast break layup by Nyshae' Weaver with 8:18 to play that prompted a quick timeout by the Golden Rams. Weaver's transition layup was already her 10th point of the game as she had scored a game-high eight points in the first quarter.
The Crimson Hawks stretched their lead to 19 after a Belle Bosch three-pointer with seven minutes to play in the first half. West Chester began finding its stride in the second quarter, going 5-for-8 from the field through the first five minutes of the frame, including a 4-for-5 spurt. Unfortunately, the Crimson Hawks matched this effort, and despite the first made three of the game from
Marianna Papazoglou (North Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood Catholic), the hosts maintained a 36-20 lead.
Ava Mazur cut the deficit to 14 with a layup following an IUP turnover with 4:03 to play, which cut the deficit to 14, but the hosts responded with another 6-0 run, which stretched the lead to 20 (42-22) with 1:54 to play until the halftime break.
Led by 13 points from Weaver and 11 more from Teresa Maggio, IUP carried a 44-27 lead into the halftime break.
Stein led West Chester in scoring in the first half with eight points on a perfect 3-for-3 effort from the field and a 2-for-2 effort at the free throw line.
West Chester shot 40.0 % (10-of-25) from the field in the first half, including an 8-of-14 (57.1 %) effort in the second quarter, while IUP was 16-for-30 (53.3 %) from the field, including a 10-of-15 (66.7 %) effort in the second quarter to lead by as many as 21 with 1:10 to play in the first half.
In the third quarter, West Chester enjoyed a brief 6-2 run, which cut the deficit to 49-33 with 5:37 to play, before back-to-back threes by IUP stretched the lead to 55-33 with 4:09 to play in the third. The ninth-ranked Crimson Hawks continued to impose their will as the third quarter continued, carrying a 63-39 lead into the fourth quarter after going 8-for-15 (53.3 %) from the field in the third quarter.
In the fourth, IUP stretched its lead to as many as 35 with under four-and-a-half minutes to play en route to an 85-50 victory over the Golden Rams to open 2026.
Stein led West Chester in scoring with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting as the lone Golden Ram in double figures. Stein also led the team in rebounding with eight rebounds.
West Chester shot 34.0 % (18-of-53) from the field, including a 28.6 % (8-for-28) in the second half. The Golden Rams were also just 2-for-11 (18.2 %) from beyond the arc and 12-for-17 (70.6 %) at the free throw line.
Weaver, who was honored by IUP for her 1000
th collegiate point in a pregame ceremony, led all scorers and five Crimson Hawks in double figures with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, along with eight rebounds. Maggio added 13 of her own on 4-of-7 shooting, along with 13 from Ellie Wilkerson and 10 each from Bosch and Molly Keane.
The hosts shot north of 60.0 % from the field in the second half, including a 75.0 % effort in the fourth quarter as they shot an excellent 33-of-57 (57.9 %) from the field in the victory, including a 5-for-12 (41.7 %) effort from beyond the arc, while also going 14-for-18 (77.8 %) at the free throw line.
IUP ended the game with a 39-26 lead in rebounding, which resulted in a 9-1 lead in second-chance points and a 42-22 lead in points in the paint. The Crimson Hawks also finished the game with a 17-13 lead in turnovers and an 18-8 lead in points off turnovers, along with an 18-4 lead in points off the break.
Up Next
West Chester will look to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon against Seton Hill, beginning at 1 p.m.
