Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 18 IUP (14-2, 10-2) vs. Lock Haven (7-8, 6-6)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

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AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks return home as they host their final Wednesday evening game of the regular season when Lock Haven comes to the KCAC. IUP is coming off of a 1-1 week, rebounding from a loss to No. 3 Edinboro with a come-from-behind 59-55 overtime victory at Mercyhurst on Saturday. The Bald Eagles have recovered from five straight losses by winning three of their last five, but are coming off a 23-point loss to Cal over the weekend.

LAST TIME OUT
IUP rallied from 14 down in the first half to defeat Mercyhurst on the road last Saturday, winning 59-55 in overtime.

The Crimson Hawks got in an early hole, falling down 16-2 less than nine minutes into the first half before heading into the half down 10 points. They would cut their deficit to four less than two minutes into the second half when Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) knocked down her fourth three-pointer of the game and took their first lead at 35-34 with 10:14 remaining. Eventually making it to overtime, IUP outscored Mercyhurst 10-6, with both Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) and Fr. G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) each scoring 4 points.

Ullman had a career-high 18 points, going 5-7 from 3, while Pastorek scored a team-high 21 points and 6 boards. 

NATIONAL POLLS
Despite going 1-1 last week, the Crimson Hawks remain steady in the rankings, staying at 18th in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA. This is the fourth straight week IUP is in the top 25.

FAST START
IUP's 14-2 start is one of its best ever, winning its first 11 games before a 58-55 heartbreaking loss to Millersville. The perfect 11-0 mark was its best start to a season since the program went 16-0 to begin the 1999-2000 season. That year IUP finished 24-5, advancing to the NCAA East Region semifinals.

THE LEADER
IUP leans on Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort), the best all-around player for the Crimson Hawks. Tops on the team with 13.8 ppg this season, she owns a 50.6 FG%, connecting on 89-176 from the field. Also 1st on the team with 7.7 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 35 steals and 11 blocks and is 3rd with 29 assists.

Pastorek has three double-doubles so far this year and has led IUP in scoring 10 times and rebounding eight times.

FRESHMAN BACKCOURT
Getting valuable playing time as true freshmen this year are G's Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center), Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana). Playing in all 16 games and starting 12, Fairman has contributed all over the court with 5.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 apg and 28 steals. During a recent five game run, Fairman shot 52.0 percent (13-25) from the floor and 42.9 percent (6-14) from 3. She also averaged 5.8 rpg and had 15 assists and 11 steals over that time. 

Mathe and Stapleton are back on the court after missing some time in December but still contribute. Mathe is averaging 7.1 ppg in 11 contests, including a 19-point outing against Bloomsburg. Stapleton saw her first time in over a month against Clarion, scoring 11 points on 4-7 shooting in 13 minutes.

SHOOTING THE “3”
The Crimson Hawks are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the PSAC, connecting on 35.6 percent of their 236 attempts. They've made at least six 3's in a game seven times, going 8-15 at Cheyney and 9-14 at Shippensburg and also went 6-14 against West Chester.

Four players have made at least 15 3's, with Stapleton leading the way at 17 treys in 11 games played, also tops on the team with a 45.9 3FG%. Fairman, So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) and Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) each have knocked down 15, with Ullman knocking down five against Mercyhurst.

PLAYING DEFENSE
IUP is playing some of the best defense in the PSAC, leading the conference both in points given up (52.5 ppg) and field goal percentage (33.7). The Crimson Hawks are 4th in the conference in forcing turnovers, making opponents give up possession 22.8 times per game, including a season-high 38 turnovers against Washington Adventist.

The Crimson Hawks are also 7th in the PSAC in steals with 11.1 spg, getting a combined 34 swipes in a three-game set against Mansfield, ESU and Kutztown.

INTO THE STARTING LINEUP
After coming off the bench the first 12 games of the season, Sr. F Vianca Tejada (Pennsauken, NJ/Cherry Hill East) has started the last four, averaging 24.5 mpg. Over the last two games she's averaging 9.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg with a 50.0 FG% and a 75.0 FT%. Against
Edinboro, Tejada scored a team-high 13 points on 4-8 shooting, grabbing 8 boards with added 4 assists.

BENCH PRODUCTION
Led by Mathe, Stapleton and Tejada, the Crimson Hawks bench has been a huge part of the team's 14-2 start, outscoring opponents 432-198 this season. Using anywhere from five-to-seven  players off the bench, IUP has owned a huge advantage in nearly every game, including a 30-10 point spread in the road win at Clarion.

10 different players average at least 15 minutes per game while nine regular players average more than 4.8 points per game.

POST PLAY
Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) has provided additional production down low for the Crimson Hawks, adding 10.6 ppg and 5.8 rpg, both 2nd on the team. Boasting a 49.4 FG% (44-89), Stoner has been even better when she gets to the charity stripe, where she's gone 39-45 (86.7 pct.).

Stoner had her first career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Bowie State and had a season-high 19 points earlier in the year in the win over Cheyney.

THE DOW FILE
Jeff Dow (Oregon '88) enters his fourth season as the head coach at IUP after leading the Crimson Hawks to a record of 19-8, 11-3 in the PSAC West and an appearance in the PSAC Quarterfinals last season.

Dow has a record of 76-26 at IUP and has led the Crimson Hawks to three consecutive PSAC tournament appearances during his tenure. Over the course of his first three years, Dow has set school records in winning 10 or more games in three consecutive seasons in PSAC West divisional games and for overall winning percentage in PSAC West games (.761).