Eighth-ranked Indiana (PA) broke open a four-point game after three quarters by outscoring Pitt-Johnstown 22-6 in the fourth quarter on its way to a 68-48 victory over the Mountain Cats in Saturday's regular season finale at the Kovalchick Center in Indiana.  Gabrielle Smith scored 15 points and Alli McGrath added 14 points for Pitt-Johnstown, which slipped to 16-12 overall and 11-11 in the PSAC West.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, the No. 5 seed in the western division, will open the 2020 PSAC Women's Basketball Tournament at fourth-seeded California (PA) on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
 
Along with Smith and McGrath, the Mountain Cats also got eight points from Ashley Norling, seven rebounds from Maddie Shanahan, and five rebounds from Mia Oterson.
 
A pair of Natalie Myers' 3-pointers and back-to-back buckets from Rajah Fink late in the opening quarter gave IUP a 10-point advantage, before two of Smith's six first quarter points cut the Mountain Cat deficit to 20-12.
 
Pitt-Johnstown pulled to within five in the first minute of the second quarter on a Makalyn clapper layup and an McGrath free-throw, but the Crimson Hawks got two more 3-pointers from Courtney Alexander to push the lead out to 26-15 at 7:28. The Mountain Cats answered to outscore IUP, 9-3, the rest of the way, including five straight points from Smith, to narrow it to 29-24 at the half.
 
The Mountain Cats pulled to within three early in the third quarter, but Raja Fink's bucket midway through the third quarter got IUP's lead back out to 10 at 40-30.  Pitt-Johnstown kept it close and used baskets from McGrath and Ashley Norling and two late Norling free-throws to get back to within four enter the fourth quarter.
 
However, the Crimson Hawks scored the first 10 points of the final quarter to extend the lead to 56-42 and went on to the 20-point victory.
 
Pitt-Johnstown shot 35% (19-55) from the field and just 2-17 from behind the arc.  The Mountain Cats were also 8-15 from the line.  IUP ended the evening shooting 45% (23-51) from the floor, 9-26 from 3-point range, and 13-20 from the charity stripe.
 
Lexi Griggs' game-high 19 points led the Crimson Hawks.  IUP, now 26-2 overall and 21-1 in the PSAC West, also got five 3-pointers and 18 points from Alexander and 13 points from Myers.
 
Pitt-Johnstown, the fifth seed in the PSAC West, travels to fourth-seeded California for Monday's first round of the 2020 PSAC Women's Basketball Tournament.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.