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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - For the second consecutive day, the Bloomsburg University men's basketball suffered a defeat in the game's final seconds as the 24th-ranked Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) knocked off the Huskies, 63-61, at the Nelson Field House on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, Bloomsburg dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) foes while the Crimson Hawks improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in league play with the victory.

One day after Pitt-Johnstown claimed a one-point victory, 71-70, on a field goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation, IUP's Malik Miller hit a runner from just outside the paint with ten seconds left to snap a 61-61 tie. Bloomsburg had one last look at a chance to send the game to overtime, but junior Carnell McGirt (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (Valley Forge Military Academy)) had his layup attempt blocked by the Crimson Hawks' Jacobo Diaz just before the buzzer and the Huskies had to suffer their second straight excruciating setback.

The game was close throughout as it featured 14 ties and 13 lead changes. In fact, the largest lead of the game was when IUP led, 16-8, with 9:31 left in the first half.

Diaz aided the Crimson Hawks' fast start as he scored 11 of the team's first 16 points as they built up the eight-point advantage. But, thanks to long-range shooting from redshirt junior Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) and junior Alex Prislupsky (Olyphant, Pa./Mid-Valley), the Huskies went on 17-5 run over the next six minutes to take their largest lead of the game, 25-21, with 2:51 left in the first half. During the spurt, Mortellite (eight) and Prislupsky (seven) combined for 15 of the 17 points.

However, a jumper from Prislupsky with 2:51 left proved to be the last field goal for the Huskies in the first half as the Crimson Hawks turned a four-point deficit into a two-point advantage at halftime, 29-27.

McGirt tied the game at 29-29 with a jumper before IUP went on a mini 6-0 run on a three-pointer from Anthony Glover and a three-point play from Devon Cottrell to give the visitors a 35-29 lead with 17:04 left in regulation. That six-point advantage proved to be the largest lead of the second half.

Mortellite hit back-to-back triples in the next sixty seconds to tie the game at 35-35 with 16:03 remaining and then the fun began. The teams, literally, went back-and-forth over the final 16 minutes of regulation that saw no lead larger than three points for either team, eight ties, and ten lead changes. Prislupsky gave Bloomsburg its final lead of the game, 61-59, with 1:17 left in regulation. Glover hit a pair of clutch free throws for IUP at the other end to tie the game, for the 14th time, at 61-61.

On the Huskies' ensuing possession, senior Donell Diggs (Washington, D.C./Takoma Academy (Prince George's CC)) missed a jumper with IUP's Dante Lombardi pulling down the rebound and calling a timeout after crossing half court. After the timeout, the Crimson Hawks worked the ball around the perimeter and Miller made a tough, jump-step runner from about 12-feet to give the Crimson Hawks a 63-61 lead. Diggs hustled the ball across the time line and found a wide-open McGirt who appeared to be going in for the game-tying layup. But, both Diaz and Cottrell came out of nowhere and Diaz swatted the shot away just before the buzzer to hand the Huskies a second straight loss.

After being held to just eight points in Saturday's setback to Pitt-Johnstown, Mortellite came back with a vengeance on Sunday as he poured in a game-high, and a season-high, 28 points. He was 10-of-20 from the field, including 5-of-9 from long range, and 3-of-4 from the foul line. He also pulled down five rebounds. Diggs finished with 12 points which included a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe. He also had a game-high six assists.

Prislupsky, after scoring a career-high 19 points against Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday, also hit double figures for the second straight game as he finished with 10 points.

Diaz led IUP with 20 points and 10 rebounds while collecting the game-saving block in the final second of regulation. Glover finished with 18 points which included a season-high four triples.

Bloomsburg shot just 31.7% from the field (20-of-63) and was outrebounded by the Crimson Hawks, 38-32. But, the Huskies turned the ball over only eight times while forcing IUP into 18 turnovers to stay in the game. Bloomsburg turned IUP's 18 turnovers into 18 points during the contest.

The Huskies will step out of conference play when they return to action next Saturday, November 26, for a contest at Wilmington University in Wilmington, Delware. Start time is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.