GameDay Central
No. 25 IUP Crimson Hawks (9-0, 5-0 PSAC)
at No. 17 Bloomsburg Huskies (7-1, 5-0)
Saturday, December 20, 2014  |  1:00 p.m.
Nelson Field House  |  Bloomsburg, Pa. 

IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Live stats:  BUHuskies.com  |  Fan Stats  |  Media Stats
Radio:  WQMU 92.5 FM  |  u92radio.com

THE GAME
No. 25 Crimson Hawks face their last opponent of 2014 Saturday when they travel east to face rival No. 17 Bloomsburg.  The Huskies, 5-0 in the conference, are at the top of the eastern division, while IUP is sitting in second place in the west behind California (Pa.).  In the all-time series, the Crimson Hawks hold a 24-16 lead over Bloomsburg with IUP's last victory over the Huskies coming in 2013.  Last year, this No. 17 team defeated the Crimson Hawks 74-62. 

LAST TIME OUT
December 16th and 17th IUP hosted Mansfield and Lock Haven in two days of PSAC crossover action at the Kovalchick Complex.  First, the Crimson Hawks cruised by the Mountaineers 89-56, with Jr. G Zhane Brooks (Erie, Pa. /Villa Maria) posting a season-high 16 points.  On the 17th, IUP went into the half trailing Lock Haven 22-21, but exploded in the second half and earned a 70-59 victory.  Against the Lady Eagles, Sr. G Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) tallied her sixth 20 point game of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Crimson Hawks will take to the road in January, traveling first to East Stroudsburg for a 1 p.m tipoff on the 3rd.  The team will then face West Chester January 4th at 1 p.m.  IUP will return to the Kovalchick Complex January 7th to host Cheyney at 5:30 p.m. 

BUDDING RIVALS
Although the Huskies and Crimson Hawks have faced each other for years, the rivalry between the two teams began to surface in the 2011-2012 season.  In post-season play, Bloomsburg knocked IUP out of the PSAC tournament 75-67.  However, the Crimson Hawks went on to defeat the Huskies 77-76 in the NCAA Quarterfinals.  

Since then, the two teams have met again in the NCAA tournament, in addition to regular season play.  In 2012-13 post-season play, IUP kicked off the NCAA tournament by defeating Bloomsburg 72-59.  Last year, the Huskies came out on top in Indiana 74-62 during the regular season. 

NATIONAL ATTENTION
With the help of their 9-0 start, the Crimson Hawks have received placements in the Division II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA and the USA TODAY Sports Division II Top 25 Poll.  In the USA TODAY coaches poll, IUP is sitting at No. 25, tied with Harding University (Ark.).  The Crimson Hawks, however, reached No. 20 in the Division II Media Poll.  

NCAA RANKINGS
In the nation, IUP is ranked in the top 10 in three different categories.  With the help of Sr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana), the Crimson Hawks sit in 5th place with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.36.  IUP also holds the 6th slot in scoring defense (54.3 PPG) and scoring margin (24.6).  

STAMP OF APPROVAL
In just nine games this season, Stamp has already posted six 20-point games, including a season-high 28 against Ohio Valley.  These high scoring games have placed this senior at the top of the PSAC, averaging 20.4 PPG.  In addition, Stamp holds a 2nd place slot in the conference with a .460 3FG%.  Earlier this season, she reached the 1,000 point mile marker of her collegiate career. 

LOOKING TOWARDS 1000
Stamp might have reached her 1,000-point milestone, but she's not the only player on the roster within striking distance. Sr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) currently has a total 871 career points while Mathe has 796 and Sr. G Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) has 762.  R-Jr. G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) is a little further away with 618, but she'll have two seasons to reach the mark. 

STEALING THE SHOW
Fairman opens the 2014-15 season with 29 total steals in just nine games.  She currently leads the team in steals with 3.2-per-game, and 214 over her four seasons with the Crimson Hawks.  Her defensive play has earned her 2nd place in the PSAC in steals, and a 15th placement in the nation.  As a team, the Crimson Hawks average 8.0 SPG (11th in the PSAC, 152nd in the NCAA).  

MATHE WITH THE ASSIST
In IUP's past nine games, the team has recorded 181 total assists as opposed to their opponents 111.  The Crimson Hawks average 20.1 APG, a 1st place statistic in the conference.  Leading the team in assists is Mathe, who records 4.9 APG, and has an NCAA 8th place ranking assist-turnover ratio of 3.1.  

STONER AND STAPLETON ON TOP 
Currently in the IUP record books, Stoner and Stapleton sit at the top in their respective categories.  From the foul line, Stoner has posted 208-of-254 shots in her career for a FT% of 81.9, a school-high figure.  This season, she is ranked 4th in the conference (31st in the NCAA) for her 85.7 FT%.  

Stapleton holds the IUP record for her 40.5 3FG%.  This percentage is earned after she sunk 114-of-280 shots from behind the three-point line over her three seasons with the Crimson Hawks.  

SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
The Huskies have the ability to score points in bunches as three players average better than double-figures in scoring - Gr. G Taylor Molando (13.1), Sr. G Marla Simmons (11.9), and Adreana Sadowski (11.0).  As a team, Bloomsburg has shot 40.9%(203-496) from the field, and sunk 40-of-122 from behind the three point line.  Defensively, the Huskies have tallied 91 total steals (11.4 per-game), including Jocelyn Ford and Simmons with 19 and Maldonado with 17.  In addition, Sadowski has posted 15 blocks.