Penn State DuBois freshman forward Elizabeth Hungiville handles the basketball in the lane during a recent game away from home when the Lady Lions visited Pitt Bradford.
DuBOIS, Pa. – The start of the conference season in the competitive Pennsylvania State University Athletics Conference (PSUAC) has seen both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Penn State DuBois get off to a rough start. Now, both the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions are looking to get back on the winning track before the end of semester break begins.
Last week, the Lady Lions played the first game of a weekend doubleheader on Friday when they visited Penn State Mont Alto. While the Lady Lions fought hard, they were unable to overcome a strong defensive effort from Penn State Mont Alto, falling 52-45 in a tightly contested game.
Sophomore forward Natalie Bowser led the charge for DuBois, delivering a dominant performance in the paint with 18 points and seven rebounds while shooting an impressive 7-of-8 from the field. Bowser’s efficiency kept the Lady Lions competitive in a game that saw both teams struggle with turnovers and shooting consistency.
Penn State DuBois started strong, taking an 11-10 lead after the first quarter behind disciplined team defense and crisp ball movement. However, Mont Alto capitalized on turnovers in the second quarter to outscore the Lady Lions 14-9, taking a four-point advantage into halftime.
Despite the deficit, DuBois clawed back in the third quarter, matching Mont Alto’s 16 points as Bowser and freshman forward Elizabeth Hungiville combined to control the boards. Hungiville contributed eight rebounds and four points while providing a physical presence inside.
Junior guard Frances Milliron added eight points and showed tenacity on defense with two steals, while Rebecca Martin chipped in six points, including two timely three-pointers that helped keep DuBois within striking distance.
Ultimately, Mont Alto’s ability to convert turnovers into points proved to be the difference, as they scored 28 points off 31 DuBois turnovers. DuBois struggled to generate offense in the fourth quarter, managing just nine points as Mont Alto’s defense tightened.
The second game of the weekend’s doubleheader saw Penn State DuBois visit Penn State York. The Lady Lions made a valiant fourth-quarter push but ultimately came up short in the contest, 55-50 on Saturday.
Hungiville shined for DuBois, recording a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds while playing 38 minutes. Her presence in the paint helped DuBois dominate second-chance opportunities, outscoring York 18-7 in that category.
The Lady Lions started strong, holding a 12-9 lead after the first quarter. However, a cold second quarter saw DuBois shoot just 13.3% from the field, allowing York to take control with a 22-point outburst and a 31-22 halftime lead.
Despite the struggles, DuBois showed resilience. Bowser contributed nine points and 14 rebounds, anchoring the Lady Lions defensively and keeping them within striking distance. Milliron added four points and a team-high five assists but struggled with turnovers as York’s defense forced DuBois into 29 giveaways, leading to 24 points for the home team.
Trailing by 12 entering the fourth quarter, DuBois surged back with a 20-point effort, fueled by improved shooting and timely three-pointers from Shannon Shaw and Rebecca Martin. Shaw finished with eight points, including two clutch triples, while Martin added six points.
York held off the rally thanks to balanced scoring, with four players reaching double figures, led by Olivia Sell’s 16 points and nine rebounds.
Penn State DuBois junior guard Niare Poplar attempts a free throw during a recent home game at the PAW Center.
For the men’s team, the Nittany Lions played a total of three games last week, starting with Bryant & Stratton (Ohio) visiting the PAW Center. Despite a strong second-half effort, Penn State DuBois could not overcome a hot-shooting Bryant & Stratton squad, falling 84-69 Tuesday evening.
Sophomore guard Kaleb Pryor led the charge for DuBois, posting a game-high 22 points along with seven rebounds and two steals. Pryor was particularly effective in transition, showcasing his ability to finish at the rim and provide energy on both ends of the floor. Senior forward Beau Verdill delivered a balanced performance with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and a three-point touch, hitting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Ashton Fortson added 13 points and six rebounds, converting seven of nine attempts at the free-throw line.
DuBois struggled to find consistency from the three-point line, shooting just 15.6% (5 of 32) from deep, compared to 30.0% for Bryant & Stratton. Turnovers were also costly, as both teams converted 20 points off miscues.
Bryant & Stratton’s offense was paced by Detric Hearst and Jaelyn Terrell, who each tallied 17 points. James Moore contributed 14 points and seven rebounds for the visitors, who shot a scorching 56.7% from the field.
Trailing 44-31 at halftime, DuBois clawed back with an improved defensive effort in the second half, narrowing the deficit to single digits midway through the period. However, Bryant & Stratton’s interior scoring and depth, highlighted by 64 points in the paint and 21 from the bench, proved too much to overcome for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State DuBois then embarked on a weekend PSUAC doubleheader, starting with visiting Penn State Mont Alto on Friday, falling 91-68 in a conference matchup at the Multipurpose Activities Center.
Fortson led the DuBois effort with 16 points, adding three rebounds and three steals. Junior guard Nate Cornelius provided a spark off the bench, hitting four three-pointers en route to 14 points. Junior guard Niare Poplar chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.
DuBois faced an uphill battle early, trailing 42-24 at halftime as Mont Alto capitalized on its superior shooting and inside presence. Mont Alto shot 54.4% from the field, including a commanding 52 points in the paint, compared to DuBois’ 32.9% overall shooting.
Mont Alto was led by Veron Talla, who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Saihou Mbergan added 13 points off the bench, while Bryson Fleming scored 13 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting.
Despite forcing 23 turnovers and scoring 20 second-chance points, DuBois was unable to overcome Mont Alto's balanced attack and struggled with ball security, committing 31 turnovers of their own.
The Nittany Lions tried to rebound from the loss when the visited Penn State York on Saturday. Despite a valiant effort, Penn State DuBois fell just short in a high-scoring contest, losing 85-84 at the Ruhl Center.
Pryor was the driving force for DuBois, dropping a game-high 37 points on 12-of-28 shooting, including four three-pointers, and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Verdill contributed 11 points and three rebounds, while sophomore guard Cole Love provided a lift off the bench with nine points, hitting both of his three-point attempts.
DuBois trailed 46-39 at halftime but surged back in the second half, shooting 50% from the field and outscoring York 45-39. However, York’s balanced scoring attack and dominance on the boards made the difference. York out-rebounded DuBois 41-21, including 17 offensive boards that led to 19 second-chance points.
York's Lui Abdeta anchored the home team with a double-double, tallying 26 points and 15 rebounds. Marquise McClean added 18 points and eight rebounds, while Sky Thomas contributed 11 points and five boards.
The tightly contested game saw DuBois capitalize on turnovers, scoring 24 points off York’s 18 giveaways. However, York’s ability to convert high percentage looks and hold off DuBois’ late rally secured the victory.
Both the Nittany Lions and Lady Lions will play two more games in the PSUAC at home prior to the upcoming semester break. Frist, Penn State DuBois will welcome Penn State Lehigh Valley on Friday, Dec. 13. The women’s game will tip off at 6 p.m. and the men’s game will follow at approximately 8 p.m. Then, on Saturday, the men’s and women’s teams from Penn State Schuylkill will visit the PAW Center for a PSUAC doubleheader. The women’s game will get the day started at 1 p.m. and the men’s game will follow at 3 p.m.
For complete athletic schedules, including any weather-related changes, visit the Penn State DuBois athletic website.
