Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 24 IUP (10-0, 6-0) vs. West Chester (8-2, 4-2)
Friday, January 6, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

No. 24 IUP (10-0, 6-0) vs. Millersville (7-3, 4-2)
Saturday, January 7, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

Live Stats - IUPAthletics.com
Live Video - NMTVSports.com (Friday); NMTVSports.com (Saturday)
Live Audio - RedZoneMedia.com

AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks return to the court from winter break to host West Chester and Millersville in the final PSAC crossover weekend of the year on Friday and Saturday. IUP, now ranked 24th in the country, will try to extend its 10-game winning streak to open the season, its best start since the 1999-00 season. The Golden Rams and Marauders are in a three-way tie with Bloomsburg for the top spot in the East, each sporting 4-2 conference records. 

LAST TIME OUT
IUP made it 10 straight wins to start the season with a pair of victories in the Susan G. Komen “Shoot for the Cure” Classic back on December 18-19. The Crimson Hawks combined to outscore their two opponents 139-70 with blowout wins over Seton Hill (57-31) on Sunday and Bowie State (82-39) on Monday.

Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) led the offensive effort against Griffins with her second double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and adding 10 boards in the 26-point win. The Crimson Hawks forced Seton Hill in 17 turnovers and a 19.7 FG%, as the Griffins converted just 12-61 shots. Fr. G Lisa Burton (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Penn Hills) came off the bench to score 10 points, going 6-8 from the foul line.

IUP continued to roll on day two and again got a double-double, this time from Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson), the first of her career. She scored a game-high 18 points as 11 total Crimson Hawks added to the scoring column. Stoner added 10 rebounds, including 7 offensively, in just 21 minutes of action. Again playing tough defense, IUP forced 20 turnovers as Bowie State connected on just 14-60 shots.

NATIONAL POLLS
The Crimson Hawks have landed back in the national polls for the first time since the 2009-10 preseason, ranking 24th in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA.

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 13.2 ppg so far this season, she owns a 50.9 FG%, connecting on 56-110 from the field. Also 1st on the team with 7.3 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 20 steals and 5 blocks and is 3rd with 20 assists.

She has two double-doubles so far this year and has led IUP in scoring and rebounding five times.

TOP FROSH
Fr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week on Dec. 5 after averaging 17.0 ppg, shooting 68.8 percent (11-16) from the field, helping to lead IUP to wins over Washington Adventist and Bloomsburg. She was a perfect 5-5 from the field against the Shock on Tuesday and finished 8-11 (72.7 pct.) from 3-point range.

For the season Mathe is scoring 11.0 ppg and has an incredible 61.3 FG% (19-31) in five games. She also has a 62.5 3FG% (10-16) and averages 4.0 rpg.

PROVIDING A SPARK
Sr. F Vianca Tejada (Pennsauken, NJ/Cherry Hill East) has has given the Crimson Hawks scoring off the bench this season, 4th on the team with 8.6 ppg. She's reached double-figures in scoring in five games, including a team-high 19 points in just 22 minutes in the five-point win over Shippensburg.

Tejada has been efficient from the field with a 47.6 FG% (30-63), going 7-9 from the field in the win over Washington Adventist. She's also been involved in other areas, grabbing 7 rebounds with 5 assists at Cheyney and coming up with at least 1 steal in eight games this year.

BENCH PRODUCTION
Led by Tejada, the Crimson Hawks bench has been a huge part of the team's perfect 10-0 start, outscoring opponents 328-123 this season. Using anywhere from five-to-seven  players off the bench, IUP has owned a huge advantage in every game, including a 31-7 advantage in the win over Bowie State, a game that saw 11 Crimson Hawks score.

POST PLAY
Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) has provided production down low for the Crimson Hawks, scoring 11.1 ppg and grabbing 5.8 rpg, both 2nd on the team. Boasting a 50.6 FG% (39-77), Stoner has been even better when she gets to the charity stripe, where she's gone 33-39 (84.6 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.

SHOOTING THE “3”
Fr. G's Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center), Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) and Mathe have helped IUP to the top 3FG% in the PSAC, shooting 40.1 pct. (59-147) so far this year.

Mathe is knocking down 62.5 percent of her shots (10-16) on the year, including a 5-8 day against Bloomsburg and a perfect 3-3 against Washington Adventist. If she played enough games to qualify, Mathe would be the top shooter in the PSAC.

Stapleton is 2nd in the PSAC with a 53.6 3FG%, hitting 15-28 from long range, while Fairman has gone 9-31 on the season, but started the year by hitting 8-17, a 47.1 percent clip.

As a team, the Crimson Hawks have made at least six 3-pointers in six games, including a 9-14 outing against Shippensburg.

THE TRANSFERS
A pair of transfers have seen valuable playing time this year for IUP, with So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) earning a start in each game. Transferring from UMass, Watson, who played in 21 games last year for the Minutewomen, is averaging 6.2 ppg with 27 assists this year. So. F Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) (Lincoln Memorial) has also seen time, as she's 3rd on the team with 5.1 rpg, grabbing at least 8 on four occassions, including a career-high 11 in the win over Seton Hill.

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 72-24 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).