Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 17 IUP (16-2, 12-2) at No. 20 Gannon (15-3, 12-2)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Hammermill Center / Erie, PA

Live Stats - GannonSports.com
Live Audio - RedZoneMedia.com
Live Video - B2LiveTV.com

AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks travel to Erie on Wednesday as they face off against Gannon in a battle of top 20 teams as both teams, tied for second in the PSAC West, jockey for position in the division. IUP has won three straight, two of them being the come-from-behind variety, including last week's wins against Lock Haven and Slippery Rock. The Golden Knights are on a winning streak of their own with four straight, also defeating The Rock and the Bald Eagles last year.

LAST TIME OUT
Finding themselves in an 8-point hole to Slippery Rock at the break, the
Crimson Hawks began the second half on a 10-2 run, jumpstarting a comeback as IUP defeated The Rock 57-42 on Saturday afternoon.

Down 27-19, IUP tied the game at 29-29 just 4:40 into the second half before taking its first lead of the game a few minutes later at 34-33 on a three-pointer by Fr. G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana). The Crimson Hawks would then go on a 14-1 run over 6:21 to open up a 16-point lead before not allowing a single point by The Rock over the game's final 2:55.

Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) recorded her 4th double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Stapleton and Fr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) each added 10 points.

NATIONAL POLLS
After a 2-0 week, the Crimson Hawks moved up one spot to 17th in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA. This is the fifth straight week IUP is in the top 25.

FAST START
IUP's 16-2 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 13.9 ppg this season, she owns a 50.0 FG%, 4th in the PSAC. Also 1st on the team and 8th in the PSAC with 7.7 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 39 steals and 12 blocks and is 3rd with 32 assists.

Pastorek has four double-doubles so far this year and has led IUP in scoring 11 times and rebounding nine 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). An all-around threat, Fairman averages 5.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 2.7 apg, adding 32 steals. She's also knocked down 15 3's and has an 87.0 FT%. Against Lock Haven she had 6 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Mathe has played in 13 games, averaging 8.4 ppg with a 53.8 3FG%. She tied an IUP single game record for 3's with 7 against Lock Haven, scoring 21 points. She also scored 19 points earlier this season against Bloomsburg, going 5-8 from 3.

Stapleton has also played in 13 games with seven starts, averaging 8.2 ppg with an 89.5 FT%. She's reached double-figures six times, scoring 11 points in 13 minutes in her return to the court on Jan. 14 at Clarion.

SHOOTING THE “3”
IUP is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the PSAC, making 36.6 percent of its 273 attempts, currently 1st in the league.

Five players have made at least 15 3's, led by Mathe who has 21. Stapleton has knocked down 20 while Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) has hit 18 3's on the season.

Fairman and So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) are two more threats, each with 15 3's on the season. IUP has made 6 3's in a game 10 times this season, going 10-23 against Lock Haven.

PLAYING DEFENSE
IUP is playing some of the best defense in the PSAC, leading the conference both in points given up (51.7 ppg) and field goal percentage (33.6). The Crimson Hawks are 6th in the conference in forcing turnovers, making opponents give up possession 22.2 times per game, including a season-high 38 turnovers against Washington Adventist.

The Crimson Hawks are also 7th in the PSAC in steals with 10.7 spg, getting a combined 41 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 six, averaging 22.2 mpg. Against Edinboro and Mercyhurst she averaged 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 15-2 start, outscoring opponents by an average of 27.5-11.5. 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 4.6 points per game.

POST PLAY
Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) has provided additional production down low for the Crimson Hawks, adding 9.6 ppg and 5.4 rpg, both 2nd on the team. Boasting a 49.5 FG% (48-97), Stoner has been even better when she gets to the charity stripe, where she's gone 39-45 (86.7 pct.).

Returning to the court for the first time in two weeks against Lock Haven, Stoner played an effective 13 minutes with 8 points and 4 rebounds. She's reached double-figures in scoring eight times, including a season-high 19 against 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 78-26 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).