INDIANA, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team took a two-point lead with 1:12 remaining on Saturday afternoon from Memorial Field House and finished the contest by sinking all 10 of its free-throw attempts to earn a clutch 79-73 victory over vaunted rival IUP at the Susan G. Komen Shoot for the Cure Classic.

Shippensburg (3-3) battled toe-to-toe with the host Crimson Hawks in a game that featured 18 ties and 27 lead changes. Neither team established a lead greater than five points until SU's final free throw concluded the scoring with five seconds left on the clock.

With the Lady Raiders having established the lead late in the game, the team needed to preserve its advantage at the free-throw line. In addition to making its final 10 attempts, Shippensburg was 16-of-17 (94 percent) in the second half and 30-of-36 (83 percent) for the game. It marks the most free throws made in one game since SU was 33-of-39 in the 2008-09 season opening win over UDC.

Ironically, Shippensburg was 29-of-35 from the free-throw line in last year's 14-point home victory over the Crimson Hawks – the same game that Lauren Beckley became the school's all-time leading scorer.

Freshman Ashley Giedemann had another outstanding game and has emerged as one of the best rookies in the PSAC. She paced SU with 22 points in just 27 minutes; shooting 6-of-11 from the floor while making 9-of-10 attempts from the free-throw line.

Senior Kasey Gardner has a knack for big games at IUP and produced once again. She finished with 21 points and five rebounds, shooting 3-of-6 from three-point range, and now ranks sixth in school history with 148 career three-pointers.

Sophomore guard Shawna Wert also posted double figures and was an all-around presence, scoring 14 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out two assists, recording two steals and blocking two shots. She was 10-of-11 at the free-throw line and has made 42-of-45 (93 percent) attempts this season through six games.

Freshman Brianna Forde was huge off the bench, playing a season-high 21 minutes. She scored eight points, including a 2-of-4 proficiency from three-point range, and grabbed four rebounds. Her eight points ties her career-high set at UDC.

Sophomore guard Dana Wert stabilized the point, scoring eight points, dishing out seven assists and picking up three steals. Dana Wert was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line – including two key makes with 24 seconds remaining.

IUP (2-3) had five-point leads on three occasions in the second half and maintained a four-point lead with 2:46 to play. A three-pointer by Forde on the next possession got SU within one point, and Giedemann hit two free throws after an IUP turnover to put the Lady Raiders up one with 2:05 to go.

Crimson Hawk senior Eryn Withers led all players with a career-high 26 points, scoring 23 of those points in the second half. She converted a three-point play with 1:53 to play that put IUP back up by two, but Giedemann answered with a jumper and Gardner capitalized off a turnover with the go-ahead jumper at 1:12.

The Lady Raiders will return to the floor on Sunday at the Susan G. Komen Shoot for the Cure Classic with a 1 p.m. neutral-site game against California (Pa.).