In a game that featured Darryl Webb's monster performance of 27 points and 12 rebounds and Julian Sanders' 17 points and five 3-pointers, IUP coach Joe Lombardi preferred to talk about his team's smothering defense in an 84-72 victory against West Liberty University Tuesday night before a raucous sellout crowd at Memorial Field House.

"We played defense tonight, that was the difference," Lombardi, a former assistant at Pitt under Jamie Dixon, said of the Crimson Hawks (31-2), who earned their fifth trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight with the win in the Atlantic Region championship game. "I had to challenge them [to play defense] earlier in the year, but they grabbed on their own desire to play defense."

IUP, which extended its winning streak to 13 overall and 22 in a row at home, held West Liberty (29-3) to its lowest point total of the season. The Hilltoppers came in averaging 103.1 points with a winning margin of nearly 25 points per game.

"IUP probably is the most talented team in Division II," said West Liberty coach Jim Crutchfield, whose Hilltoppers made just 6 of 27 shots from beyond the arc. They shot 40 percent on 30 attempts per game during the season. "To beat a team like this, we had to make shots. We didn't."

IUP, which heads to Springfield, Mass., next week for the Elite Eight, dominated underneath with Webb, while West Liberty tried to keep pace from the outside. The Hilltoppers had no answer for Webb, a 6-foot-6 junior who was voted the Most Valuable Player in the tournament. He tied his single-game career high in scoring and also grabbed 12 rebounds as IUP held a 37-28 rebounding advantage.

Webb did his damage around the basket, converting several thunderous dunks and layups. He also was 11 of 15 from the free-throw line.

"I just needed to start finishing plays," Webb said.

"The guys call him 'The Beast,' " Lombardi said. "We knew [those numbers] were in there. We had to work to get it out."

Webb got a lot of help from Akida McLain, a graduate of Penn Hills High School and transfer from Boston College, who had 16 points and six rebounds.

IUP cracked the game open with a 15-2 run in the second half to pull ahead, 56-42. West Liberty never got closer than five points at 70-65.

"I thought we had control of the game for 40 minutes," Lombardi said. "We just seem to be getting better week after week. People expected West Liberty to score 95 points against us, but our defense wouldn't let that happen."

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