Penn State DuBois basketball teams finish regular season; enter PSUAC playoffs

DuBOIS, Pa. — The men’s and women’s basketball teams at Penn State DuBois both closed out the regular season on quite a run, improving their playoff positions in the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) along the way. Now, both teams are preparing to take on tough conference matchups as the playoffs begin.

Last week, the Lady Lions opened play by visiting Penn State Beaver on Feb. 18. DuBois was looking to make a season sweep of Beaver, having won the previous matchup earlier in the month. Senior Shannon Shaw poured in a game-high 21 points as DuBois held off Beaver, 71-63.

The Lady Lions set the tone early, jumping to a 16-10 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 37-21 by halftime. Shaw was dominant from beyond the arc, knocking down four three-pointers on her way to an 8-for-10 shooting performance. Freshman Elizabeth Hungiville provided a strong presence in the paint, notching a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Natalie Bowser added 11 points and nine boards. Freshman Eden Wonderling came off the bench to contribute nine points and seven rebounds.

Beaver mounted a late rally, outscoring DuBois 25-16 in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Lions held firm to secure the road victory. Beaver’s Bailey Rieg led her team with 15 points, while Jaden Tesch added 13.

The Lady Lions capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outscoring Beaver 13-6 in that category and winning the rebounding battle 44-33. Despite committing 28 turnovers, DuBois shot an efficient 43.1% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range.

After the win over Penn State Beaver, Penn State DuBois closed out the regular season by hosting Penn State New Kensington at the PAW Center on Feb. 21. In the contest, Bowser scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as DuBois defeated New Kensington, 78-55.

The Lady Lions set the tone early, shooting 66.7% in the first quarter to establish a 20-13 lead. They continued to control the pace, extending their advantage to 40-23 by halftime. Bowser was efficient, hitting 9 of 11 shots, including two three-pointers, while also recording six blocks. Hungiville added a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, and sophomore Rebecca Martin provided a spark off the bench with 11 points. Shaw and senior Kelsey Stuart each contributed two three-pointers to help DuBois pull away.

New Kensington struggled to find consistency, shooting just 30.3% from the field. Destiny Batiste led her team with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Jayde Rivera added 14 points.

DuBois dominated the glass, outrebounding New Kensington 46-25, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities with a 17-2 edge in that category. The Lady Lions also showcased their depth, with their bench outscoring New Kensington’s 27-6.

The Lady Lions ended the regular season with a 14-9 overall record, including a 12-5 record in the PSUAC. They won seven games in a row to close out the regular season, 11 of their last 12 games, and only lost two games after the semester break.

The Penn State DuBois men’s team followed the same schedule as the women to close out their regular season, starting off last week by traveling to face Penn State Beaver. DuBois held off a late rally from Beaver to secure a hard-fought 76-74 victory at the Beaver Field House.

DuBois built an 11-point halftime lead, fueled by a strong offensive effort that saw them shoot 45.2% from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Despite a second-half surge by Beaver, DuBois held on to clinch the road win.

Senior forward Ashton Fortson and junior guard Niare Poplar paced the Lions with 16 points apiece. Fortson was dominant in the paint, adding three rebounds and a block, while Poplar contributed six rebounds and two three-pointers. Senior guard Jordin Sommers provided steady leadership with nine points, four rebounds, and a crucial block down the stretch. Bench production played a key role in the victory, with sophomore guard Cole Love and junior guard Nate Cornelius combining for 19 points. Love added 10 points and was clutch from the free-throw line, hitting 5-of-6 attempts.

Beaver fought back in the second half, shooting 50% from the field after the break. Jermaine Knaff led all scorers with 18 points, while Jalen Vaughn added 13 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting. However, DuBois’ defensive pressure forced 22 turnovers, leading to 21 points in transition.

Despite shooting just 39.3% from the field, DuBois capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outscoring Beaver 13-8 in that category. The Lions’ depth also made a difference, with the bench contributing 22 points compared to Beaver’s 18.

Penn State DuBois closed out their regular season later in the week when they hosted Penn State New Kensington at the PAW Center on Feb. 21. In a high-intensity battle that came down to the final moments, DuBois secured a thrilling 94-93 victory over New Kensington.

Senior forward Beau Verdill led the charge for the Nittany Lions, delivering an outstanding 31-point performance on an efficient 12-of-16 shooting, including four three-pointers. Verdill also contributed eight rebounds and a crucial block to help seal the victory. Fortson added 22 points off the bench, shooting 8-of-12 from the field while grabbing seven rebounds. Poplar chipped in with 14 points, while Jadon Myers knocked down three three-pointers in route to a 10-point outing.

DuBois controlled the tempo in the first half, shooting 50% from the field and taking a 48-45 lead into the break. However, New Kensington refused to back down, with Aubrey Feaster II leading their offense with a game-high 23 points, while Ta’Rasi Means added 19 points and eight rebounds.

The second half saw the teams exchange leads multiple times but clutch free throws and defensive stops in the closing seconds allowed DuBois to escape with the one-point victory. The Nittany Lions forced 22 turnovers, converting them into 25 points, which proved pivotal in the win. Sommers played a key role in orchestrating the offense, dishing out a game-high 10 assists along with seven points and eight rebounds. Defensively, the team combined for 15 steals, applying relentless pressure on their opponents throughout the game.

The Nittany Lions ended the regular season with an overall record of 13-13, including 10-7 in the PSUAC. They closed the season on a three-game win streak and have won four of their last five games.

Both teams will advance to the PSUAC playoffs, the men entering as the number one seed in the west division of the PSUAC, and the women entering as the number three seed in the west division. The Lady Lions will travel to face Penn State Beaver on Monday, Feb. 24. That game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The Nittany Lions will host Penn State Beaver on Monday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. at the PAW Center.

If either team wins their game, they will advance into the next round of the PSUAC playoffs. Those games are scheduled to be played on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

For complete athletic schedules, including any weather-related changes, visit the Penn State DuBois athletic website.