FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties Edged by Cheyney, 72-69
 
MANSFIELD – Kyra Hines-Allen posted 25 points and 21 rebounds as Cheyney held-off Mansfield 72-69 in a thrilling PSAC East clash at Decker Gymnasium on Saturday.
 
Rebounding and free throws made the difference in the game as the Wolves held a 47-34 advantage on the boards and Mansfield (1-2, 0-2 PSAC East) shot just 58.3% (14-24) from the charity stripe. Cheyney (1-2, 0-2 PSAC East) scored 12 points on second chance opportunities.
 
Mansfield tied the score on eight different occasions throughout the game, but would never lead. The Mountaineers trailed by just one or two possessions for the majority of the game and never let Cheyney lead by more than seven points.
 
The Wolves held a 64-57 lead with under seven minutes to play in the game, but a pair or lay-ups by Katie Fitzpatrick and another by Tianna Jackson made it a one-point game. Both sides were unable to score until the 2:22 mark when Cheyney's Kia Whitley-Duncan hit a jumper to lead 66-63.
 
A minute later, another Jackson lay-up closed the deficit to one point and Mansfield forced a turnover, but the Mounties couldn't capitalize on the opportunity. Whitley-Duncan hit another jumper to give the Wolves a three-point advantage once more.
 
Melanie Taylor's lay-up with 23 second remaining brought the score to just one point again, but Cheyney went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final seconds to escape with the win.
 
Fitzpatrick paced three Mountaineers in double-figure scoring with 15 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Brielle Kelly chipped in 13 points while Jackson added 12.
 
Becky Evans had a game-high five takeaways as the Mounties forced 16 of Cheyney's 21 turnovers.
 
Hines-Allen was 9-of-14 from the floor and 6-of-10 from free throw to lead all scorers. 12 of her 28 rebounds came on the offensive glass.
 
TaKayla Ellis recorded 17 points with Whitley-Duncan and Tachell Phillips added 12 and 11 points respectively.
 
Mansfield will host LeMoyne on Tuesday night for a non-conference bout at Decker Gymnasium.