Penn State DuBois basketball teams tip off spring semester schedule

DuBOIS, Pa. — With the spring semester now in full swing, that means that conference games within the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) start coming in full swing for the basketball teams at Penn State DuBois. While both teams started the semester with nonconference games, the conference schedule is full for both teams moving forward.

The first game of the spring semester for the Lady Lions saw them host Berkeley College at the PAW Center on Jan. 13. Despite a strong effort throughout the entire contest, Penn State DuBois came up short, 74-63.

The Lady Lions opened the game with energy, outscoring Berkeley 23-16 in the first quarter. Sophomore forward Natalie Bowser led the charge, scoring 12 points while shooting an efficient 5-for-7 from the field, including a clutch three-pointer. Freshman forward Elizabeth Hungiville contributed a well-rounded performance with 13 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.

Berkeley responded in the second quarter, dominating with a 20-6 run to take a halftime lead. Berkeley’s Ariella Johnson was a key factor, finishing with a game-high 19 points and five steals, while Maria Negron controlled the boards with an impressive 17 rebounds to go along with her 12 points.

Penn State DuBois struggled offensively in the middle quarters, shooting just 21.4% in the second and 31.6% in the third. The Lady Lions’ turnovers proved costly, as Berkeley converted 20 points off 16 giveaways.

In the final quarter, the Lady Lions mounted a comeback, outscoring Berkeley 21-17, led by junior Frances Milliron’s perfect 6-for-6 performance from the free-throw line. Senior Shannon Shaw added ten points, including two three-pointers, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

Berkeley’s relentless inside presence proved to be the difference, as they scored 40 points in the paint and grabbed 53 rebounds to DuBois’ 38.

Looking to rebound after the loss, the Lady Lions hit the road on Friday to head back into PSUAC play against Penn State Hazleton. The Lady Lions showcased a balanced attack and stifling defense on their way to a commanding 80-38 victory over Hazleton.

DuBois came out firing, jumping to a 21-8 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Bowser led the Lady Lions with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Rebecca Martin was lights out from beyond the arc, connecting on four of six three-pointers to finish with a team-high 16 points and seven rebounds.

The Lady Lions capitalized on Hazleton's struggles, holding them to just 23.4% shooting from the field and forcing 18 turnovers, which they converted into 16 points. Senior Shannon Shaw contributed 11 points, including three triples, while Hungiville dominated the boards with 10 rebounds and added four points and two blocks.

DuBois' bench was a major factor, outscoring Hazleton’s reserves 27-2. Freshmen Reagan Slawson and Hailey Theuret combined for 11 points, with Theuret also pulling down six rebounds.

Hazleton was led by Brianna Kennedy, who posted 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Topaz Williams-Fripp, who chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds. However, Hazleton's offense struggled throughout, failing to score more than 13 points in any quarter.

Coming off the strong win, Penn State DuBois looked to continue positive momentum when they traveled to visit Penn State Scranton on Saturday. The Lady Lions delivered an overwhelming performance in the contest, defeating Scranton 96-20 in a one-sided contest.

The Lady Lions controlled the game from start to finish, opening with a 32-3 first quarter and holding Scranton scoreless in the third. Bowser led the charge with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Hungiville recorded her second consecutive double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds.

DuBois' bench played a significant role, contributing 40 points to the victory. Shaw added 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Theuret and Slawson each scored 8 points. The Lady Lions dominated the paint, outscoring Scranton 24-4 and grabbing 51 rebounds compared to Scranton's 19. On defense, DuBois forced 21 turnovers, converting them into 35 points. They also limited Scranton to just 15.6% shooting from the field and 13.0% from beyond the arc.

Scranton struggled to find rhythm offensively, with Tressie Bender leading the team with ten points. The Lady Lions' defense shut out Scranton entirely in the third quarter, cementing their dominance.

On the men’s side, Penn State DuBois opened the semester by visiting Butler County Community College on Jan. 9. The Nittany Lions lit up the scoreboard, cruising to a 104-76 victory over Butler County Community College in a dazzling offensive showcase.

DuBois dominated the first half with a 68-point explosion, building an insurmountable lead before halftime. Senior forward Beau Verdill led the charge with 23 points, including five three-pointers, and added three rebounds. Sophomore guard Cole Love also notched 23 points, shooting a blistering nine for 11 from the field and five of six from beyond the arc. Junior guard Niare Poplar chipped in 14 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Nate Cornelius added 12 points off the bench. The Nittany Lions were lethal from deep, sinking 17 three-pointers at a 40.5% clip.

DuBois’ defense stifled Butler County’s offense early, holding them to 34.7% shooting for the game and forcing 12 turnovers, which the Nittany Lions converted into 17 fast-break points. Despite a strong second-half effort by Butler’s Terrance Pankey, who finished with 25 points, the home team could not overcome the early deficit. The Nittany Lions' offense operated with precision, recording 27 assists on 39 made field goals, showcasing their ability to share the ball and find open shooters.

Looking to continue their hot offensive ways, Penn State DuBois welcomed Berkeley College to the PAW Center on Jan. 13. The Nittany Lions battled hard but came up just short in an 81-80 loss to Berkeley. The game was a back-and-forth thriller, with Berkeley edging out DuBois in the final moments.

Junior guard Kyron Harbin had a standout performance for the Nittany Lions, leading all scorers with 29 points on 11-of-22 shooting while adding nine rebounds and five steals. Verdill contributed 14 points, including two three-pointers, and grabbed four rebounds. Sophomore guard Kaleb Pryor added ten points and four rebounds, while Love and Ashton Fortson combined for 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Despite these efforts, DuBois struggled with turnovers, committing 24 compared to Berkeley's 28. Berkeley capitalized with 27 points off turnovers, which proved to be a decisive factor in the game.

Berkeley’s DeMarco Watson was a force off the bench, posting a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Yasin Abdur-Rashid added 14 points, including three three-pointers. Their bench provided a significant boost, outscoring DuBois' reserves 49-40.

Penn State DuBois entered halftime with a narrow 46-43 lead but couldn't maintain their shooting rhythm in the second half, finishing at just 37.1% from the field overall.

Looking to rebound after the loss, Penn State DuBois headed out on the road in the PSUAC, play Penn State Hazleton on Friday. Despite a strong second-half effort, the Nittany Lions couldn’t overcome a sluggish start, falling 81-69 to Hazleton.

Verdill led the charge for DuBois with 19 points on seven of 13 shooting, including a four of five performance from the free-throw line. Harbin added 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while Love contributed eight points off the bench. DuBois struggled early, shooting just 40.9% in the first half and trailing 39-29 at the break. Hazleton capitalized with their inside presence, scoring 52 points in the paint compared to DuBois’ 26.

Hazleton’s Andre Campbell paced the home team with 18 points and six rebounds, while Connor Rushing added 16 points and eight rebounds. Jaziar Whitely provided a spark off the bench with 15 points and four rebounds. Hazleton's balanced attack and efficiency in the second half (50% from the field) kept DuBois at bay. The Nittany Lions showed resilience in the second half, narrowing the deficit at times, but Hazleton’s defensive pressure and consistent rebounding edge (42-38) proved too much to overcome.

Looking to get back on the winning track, Penn State DuBois visited Penn State Scranton on Saturday. In a high scoring PSUAC contest, Scranton edged DuBois 90-89 in a thrilling matchup.

Pryor delivered a game-high 29 points on an impressive 12-of-18 shooting, including two three-pointers. Verdill added 25 points, sinking five shots from beyond the arc, while Harbin contributed ten points and six rebounds.

DuBois kept the game competitive, shooting 46.7% from the field and dominating points in the paint (46-30). However, Scranton’s efficient offense, led by Jaiden Wiggins with 24 points and Jerry Surrency with 22 points, proved too much to overcome. Marcus Delesline was a force off the bench for Scranton, scoring 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Scranton's balanced attack and composure in the closing minutes allowed them to seal the win, improving their record in conference play. DuBois’ solid performance in multiple areas highlighted their potential, despite the narrow loss.

Looking at the week ahead, both the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions will continue their play in the PSUAC. The Lady Lions, who now hold a record of 5-8 on the season, will travel to play Penn State Fayette tonight (Jan. 21). The game will begin at 6 p.m. The team will then host Penn State Greater Allegheny on Saturday, Jan. 25, with a scheduled start time of 1 p.m.

The Nittany Lions, who are now 4-13 this season, will mirror the schedule of the Lady Lions, starting their week by traveling to face Penn State Fayette tonight (Jan. 21) at 8 p.m. The team will then return to the PAW Center to host Penn State Greater Allegheny on Saturday, Jan. 25. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

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