Box Score CALIFORNIA, Pa. – Senior center Gabby Flinchum (North Potomac, Md./Wootton) had  game-highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead Shepherd University  to a 68-60 win over 11th-ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania in first round action of the Atlantic Regional Tournament at Hamer Hall on Friday.

Flinchum hit on 5-of-11 shots with an 11-of-13 effort from the foul line. She added two blocked shots and a steal.

Freshman guard Morgan Arden (Hanover, Pa./Spring Grove) poured in 15 points, while senior guard Rachel Johnson (Frederick, Md./Frederick) added 10.
Sophomore guard Cara Mason (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) had nine points and five boards.

Senior guard Alex Weakland (Camp Hill, Pa./Cumberland Valley) had five points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore forward Liz Myers (York, Pa./Eastern York) scored five points and grabbed nine boards.

Ashley Stoner led IUP with 14 points and eight rebounds. Amy Fairman had 13 points, while Leslie Stapleton added 12. The Rams limited Regional Player of the Year Lindsay Stamp to just 11 points and nine rebounds.

Shepherd had a 29-28 lead at halftime with Flinchum (10) and Arden (9) teaming for 19 first half points.

The game was close throughout.

Clinging to just a three-point lead at 54-51, Johnson drained a three-pointer to give the Rams a six-point advantage at 57-51 with 3:53 remaining in the game. IUP answered back on a three-pointer by Stapleton to cut the lead to three, but Shepherd got a jumper from Arden and another from Flinchum in its next two possessions to push the lead to seven at 61-54 with 2:15 left to pull away for the win.

Shepherd shot 35.1 percent (20-57) from the floor with a 27.3 percent effort (3-11) from three-point range for the game. The Rams shot 80.6 percent (25-31) from the charity stripe.

Indiana (Pa.) connected on 32.3 percent (20-62) from the floor with a 24.2 percent (8-33) performance from beyond the arc. The Crimson Hawks hit on 50 percent (12-24) of their free throws.

The Rams had a 50-40 advantage on the boards. The Rams forced 15 turnovers and committed 17.

Shepherd improves to 22-9, while #11 IUP falls to 25-4. The Rams return to action on Saturday when they face third-seeded Bloomsburg in the regional semifinals at 5 p.m. at Hamer Hall.

Notes: Shepherd 's win over 11th-ranked IUP marks the third time Shepherd has defeated a ranked opponent… IUP is the highest ranked team to ever fall to the Rams… Flinchum posted her third double-double of the season… The Rams snapped a five-game losing skid to IUP with the win.