Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 21 IUP (18-5, 14-5) vs. Slippery Rock (5-18, 2-17)
Saturday, February 18, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

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AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks look to sweep their season series with rival Slippery Rock when they go to battle on Saturday night at the KCAC. IUP is coming off of a tough road loss at No. 2 Edinboro on Wednesday while The Rock has dropped nine straight games heading into this weekend.

LAST TIME OUT
2nd-ranked Edinboro took an early lead on Wednesday night, taking a 15-point halftime lead before taking down the Crimson Hawks 67-48.

The Fighting Scots got up on IUP 15-1 in the first seven minutes, but the Crimson Hawks cut it to 10 several times in the first half. In the second half IUP didn't give up a point to Edinboro until the 16:49 mark, but couldn't get any scoring going as they eventually lost by 19.

Fr. G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) scored a team-high 14 points for IUP while Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) just missed a double-double with 12 points and 9 rebounds.

REGIONAL RANKINGS
The first NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings were released on Wednesday as IUP opened in 4th behind Edinboro (1st), Gannon (2nd) and Johnson C. Smith (3rd). The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA tournament with the PSAC, WVIAC and CIAA champs getting automatic berths.

NATIONAL POLLS
After a 1-1 week, beating Mercyhurst at home after a close loss at rival Cal on Wednesday, the Crimson Hawks moved down a spot to 21st in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA. This is the seventh straight week IUP is in the top 25.

PSAC TOURNAMENT
With its win over Mercyhurst last Saturday, IUP clinched a spot in the PSAC tournament for the 7th consecutive season. The Crimson Hawks are currently 3rd in the West, two games behind Gannon for 2nd and three ahead of Cal.

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 14.0 ppg this season, she owns a 48.6 FG%, 6th in the PSAC. Also 1st on the team and 5th in the PSAC with 7.8 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 46 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 6.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg, leads the team with 55 assists and is 2nd with 44 steals. She's knocked down 19 3's and has an 81.6 FT%. Fairman has reached double-figures in scoring five times and averaged 14.5 ppg in two games against rival Cal.

POINT-SCORER
Mathe has played in 18 games and is 2nd on the team in scoring with 9.1 ppg. Becoming statistically eligible a few games ago after missing some time, she leads the PSAC with a 46.3 3FG% (31-67). Mathe tied an IUP single-game record for 3's with 7 against Lock Haven, and has started each of the last five games.

DIFFERENCE MAKER
Stapleton has started eight of 18 games this season, averaging 8.4 ppg and is t-7th in the PSAC with a 40.0 3FG%. She's been efficient from the foul line with an 83.9 FT% and has a 42.7 FG%. Earning her first start at Edinboro since Dec. 10, she scored 14 points in just 27 minutes.

SHOOTING THE “3”
IUP is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the PSAC, making 34.3 percent of its 356 attempts, currently 5th in the league.

Five players have at least 15 3's, led by Mathe's 31. Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) has knocked down 20 from beyond the arc and has a 33.9 3FG% while So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) has a 33.3 3FG%. 

PLAYING DEFENSE
IUP is playing some of the best defense in the PSAC, 2nd in the conference in points given up (54.6 ppg) and 1st FG% (35.5). 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 8.7 ppg and grabbing 5.2 rpg. She's reached double-figures in scoring 10 times and had her first career double-double against Bowie State with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She's efficient when fouled with an 80.3 FT% and has connected on 58-122 of her shots from the field (47.5 percent).

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 18-4 record, outscoring opponents by an average of 24.7-12.4. 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 13.9 minutes per game while nine regular players average more than 4.1 points per game.

QUEEN OF THE BOARDS
So. F Melanie Todd (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) is 3rd on the team in rebounding, averaging 4.3 rpg. Her 52 offensive boards are 2nd and while she plays just 13.9 mpg, Todd is averaging 1224 rpg and 6.5 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) is in his fourth season as the head coach at IUP, compiling a record of 80-29 at the school, leading the Crimson Hawks to three consecutive PSAC tournament appearances during his tenure.