Poplar's 27 Not Enough as Penn State DuBois Falls to Schuylkill

Poplar's 27 Not Enough as Penn State DuBois Falls to Schuylkill, 102-92

DUBOIS, Pa. — Despite a dominant 27-point performance by junior guard Niare Poplar, Penn State DuBois was unable to overcome a sharp-shooting Penn State Schuylkill team, falling 102-92 Saturday afternoon at the PAW Center.

The game opened with an offensive explosion from Schuylkill, which shot 57.5% from the field in the first half to build a 54-43 lead at the break. DuBois fought hard to narrow the gap, led by Poplar's versatile scoring and senior forward Beau Verdill's 22 points and 11 rebounds. Verdill's effort on the boards helped DuBois to 26 second-chance points, keeping them competitive throughout.

Sophomore guard Kaleb Pryor contributed 18 points and a team-high four assists, while senior forward Ashton Fortson added 11 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting. However, turnovers plagued DuBois, as their 17 miscues led to 22 points for Schuylkill.

Schuylkill's balanced attack proved too much to handle, with four players scoring in double figures. Makhi Jones led the visitors with 26 points on an impressive 11-of-15 shooting, while Issac Lane added 20 points and five rebounds. The bench also played a pivotal role for Schuylkill, contributing 33 points.

DuBois will look to bounce back on January 9th when they travel to face Butler County Community College away from home.