Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 20 IUP (17-4, 13-4) vs. Mercyhurst (11-10, 9-8)
Saturday, February 11, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

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AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks return to the KCAC on Saturday night when they host red-hot Mercyhurst. IUP is coming off a 67-63 loss at rival Cal on Wednesday night and have lost two of its past three games. The Lakers are currently on a three-game winning streak as they find themselves just one game out of a PSAC tournament spot with five games to go.

LAST TIME OUT
The Vulcans were able to hold off a second half IUP rally, making their free throws when it counted as the Crimson Hawks fell to Cal 67-63 Wednesday night on the road.

Trailing 38-27 with 15:33 to go, IUP went on a 22-10 run over an 8:27 span to take a one-point lead with just over seven minutes to play. IUP and Cal would go back and forth before the Vulcans took an 8-point lead with 1:56 left. A three-pointer by Fr. G Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) cut the IUP deficit to two with :04 left, but Cal hit its free throws in the final seconds, sealing the win.

Fairman notched a season-high with 16 points to go along with 3 assists and 3 steals while Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) had 12 points and Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) 10 points.

NATIONAL POLLS
After a 1-1 week, beating Clarion at home after a rough loss on the road to now 17th-ranked Gannon, the Crimson Hawks moved down three spots to 20th in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA. This is the sixth straight week IUP is in the top 25.

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 14.1 ppg this season, she owns a 48.9 FG%, 8th in the PSAC. Also 1st on the team and 6th in the PSAC with 7.8 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 42 steals and has five double-doubles so far this year.

LOCAL FRESHMEN
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). All local talent, Mathe and Stapleton were teammates at Indiana HS while Fairman played 15 miles down the road at Marion Center HS.

ALL-AROUND THREAT
Getting work all over the court, Fairman averages 6.2 ppg and 3.9 rpg, leads the team with 54 assists and is 2nd with 39 steals. She's knocked down 18 3's and has an 83.3 FT%. Fairman has reached double-figures in scoring five times, scoring 13 points and 16 points in IUP's two meetings with Cal. 

POINT-SCORER
Mathe has played in 16 games, 2nd on the team in scoring with 9.0 ppg. Finally becoming statistically eligible after missing some time, she leads the PSAC with a 46.7 3FG% (28-60). Mathe tied an IUP single-game record for 3's with 7 against Lock Haven, and has averaged 13.2 ppg with a 18-11 assist-turnover ratio the last five games.

DIFFERENCE MAKER
Stapleton has started seven of 16 games this season, averaging 8.3 ppg and is 5th in the PSAC with a 41.4 3FG% (24-58). She's been efficient from the foul line with an 84.0 FT% (21-25) and is scoring 9.0 ppg over the last four games. In her first game back in a month on Jan. 14, Stapleton scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting in just 13 minutes off the bench against Clarion.

SHOOTING THE "3"
IUP is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the PSAC, making 34.9 percent of its 327 attempts, currently 3rd in the league.

Five players have at least 15 3's, led by Mathe's 28. Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) has knocked down 18 from beyond the arc and has a 34.0 3FG% while So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) has a 35.7 3FG%. 

PLAYING DEFENSE
IUP is playing some of the best defense in the PSAC, 2nd in the conference in points given up (53.9 ppg) and 1st FG% (34.7). The Crimson Hawks are 7th in the PSAC in forcing turnovers, making opponents give up possession 21.7 times per game, including a season-high 38 turnovers against Washington Adventist.

POST PLAY
Fr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) has provided additional production down low, scoring 8.9 ppg and grabbing 5.2 rpg. She's reached double-figures in scoring nine times and had her first career double-double against Bowie State with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She's efficient when fouled with an 83.3 FT% and has a 48.6 FG%.

BENCH PRODUCTION
Led by Mathe, Stapleton and Sr. F Vianca Tejada (Pennsauken, NJ/Cherry Hill East), the Crimson Hawks bench has been a huge part of the team's 17-4 record, outscoring opponents by an average of 26.3-12.5. 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 15 minutes per game while nine regular players average more than 4.5 points per game.

QUEEN OF THE BOARDS
So. F Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) is 3rd on the team in rebounding, averaging 4.4 rpg. Her 48 offensive boards are 2nd and while she plays just 14.6 mpg, Todd is averaging 12.1 rpg and 6.3 off rpg per 40 minutes. She has grabbed 5 rebounds 10 times, including a season-high 11 against Seton Hill.

FAST START
The Crimson Hawks perfect 11-0 start to their season was one of program's best ever before the heartbreaking 58-55 loss to Millersville. IUP began 16-0 to start the 1999-2000 season, finishing 24-5, advancing to the NCAA East Region semifinals.

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 79-28 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).