Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release / Senior Night Game Program

No. 24 IUP (20-5, 16-5) vs. No. 18 Gannon (21-4, 18-3)
Saturday, February 25, 2012 / 5:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

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AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks wrap up their regular season as they play the first of two straight games against Gannon on Senior Night at the KCAC on Saturday. IUP is coming off its first two-game winning streak in nearly a month as they look to head into the PSAC tournament on a high note. Currently on a four-game winning streak, Gannon will host IUP in the PSAC quarterfinals on Tuesday.

LAST TIME OUT
IUP used a late run to break open a relatively tight game as the Crimson Hawks went on to beat Lock Haven on the road, 63-49 on Wednesday. After a four-point IUP halftime lead, the Bald Eagles were able to keep it close in the second half until an 8-0 run followed shortly after by an 11-1 run gave the Crimson Hawks a commanding 58-40 lead with less than six minutes left.

Jr. F Sarah Pastorek (Johnstown/Bishop McCort) had her sixth double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 boards while Fr. G Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) added 13 points.

REGIONAL RANKINGS
The Crimson Hawks bumped back one spot in the latest NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings, as they currently sit in 5th behind Edinboro (1st), Gannon (2nd), Johnson C. Smith (3rd) and Shaw (4th). The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA tournament with the PSAC, WVIAC and CIAA champs getting automatic berths. Brackets will be announced Sunday, March 4.

NATIONAL POLLS
IUP had its third straight 1-1 week, falling to No. 2 Edinboro on Wednesday before blowing out The Rock on Saturday, as the Crimson Hawks moved down three spots to 24th in the latest USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll released by the WBCA. This is the eighth straight week IUP is in the top 25.

PSAC TOURNAMENT
With Gannon's win over The Rock on Wednesday, the seeds in the PSAC West are set with Edinboro taking 1st, Gannon 2nd, IUP 3rd and Cal 4th. The Crimson Hawks will travel to Erie on Tuesday to face the 2nd-seeded Golden Knights in the PSAC quarterfinals while the highest remaining West seed will host the conference final four next weekend. 

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 48.3 FG%, 6th in the PSAC. Also 1st on the team and 5th in the PSAC with 7.7 rpg, Pastorek leads the team with 51 steals and has six 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 at Marion Center HS.

ALL-AROUND THREAT
Getting work all over the court, Fairman averages 6.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg, leads the team with 58 assists and is 2nd with 50 steals. She's knocked down 22 3's and has an 82.5 FT%. Fairman has reached double-figures in scoring seven times and is averaging 10.7 ppg over her last six contests.

POINT-SCORER
Mathe has played in 20 games and is 2nd on the team in scoring with 8.8 ppg. She's 2nd in the PSAC with a 43.2 3FG% (32-74), making at least 1 in 13 games, and tied an IUP single-game record for 3's with 7 against Lock Haven on Jan. 25. She's started seven straight games and has scored in double-figures six times.

DIFFERENCE MAKER
Stapleton has started eight of 20 games this season, averaging 8.3 ppg and is 2nd on the team with 26 made 3s. She's been efficient from the foul line, leading the team with an 86.1 FT% and has a 42.2 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 33.1 percent of its 390 attempts, currently 5th in the league.

Five players have at least 15 3's, led by Mathe's 32. Sr. G Arika Ullman (Baltimore, MD/Seton Keough) has knocked down 23 from beyond the arc and has a 34.3 3FG% while So. G Talen Watson (Odenton, MD/Arundel) has a 30.6 3FG%. 

PLAYING DEFENSE
IUP is playing some of the best defense in the PSAC, 2nd in the conference in points given up (54.0 ppg) and 1st FG% (35.2). The Crimson Hawks are 5th in the PSAC in forcing turnovers, making opponents give up possession 21.6 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 8.6 ppg and grabbing 5.1 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 80.0 FT% and has connected on 64-133 of her shots from the field (48.1 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 20-5 record, outscoring opponents by an average of 24.8-12.8. 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 13.8 minutes per game while nine regular players average more than 3.9 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 56 offensive boards are 2nd and while she plays just 14.1 mpg, Todd is averaging 12.4 rpg and 6.4 off rpg per 40 minutes. She has grabbed 5 rebounds 11 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.