GameDay Central
No. 16 IUP Crimson Hawks (13-0, 9-0 PSAC)
at No. 25 California Vulcans (12-2, 9-1 PSAC)
Saturday, January 10, 2015  |  3:00 p.m. 
California, Pa.  |  Convocation Center

IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats:  CalVulcans.com  |  Fan Stats  |  Media Stats
Live Audio:  WQMU 92.5 FM  |  u92radio.com
Live Video:  AmericaOne Sports  |  Pay Per View

THE GAME
Saturday, the No. 16 IUP Crimson Hawks will travel to California (Pa.) to face the No. 25 Vulcans.  California, 12-2, 9-1 PSAC, is currently ranked second, just behind IUP, in the PSAC Western Division.  The Vulcans held the top spot in the West until they experienced a 58-56 loss to Bloomsburg.  Both teams are nationally ranked in the USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Poll, most recently released January 6, and placed IUP at No. 16 and California at No. 25.  In the all-time series, the Crimson Hawks trail the Vulcans 39-34, and California remains one of just two teams that IUP's Coach McConnell has a losing record. 

LAST TIME OUT
Tuesday, IUP defeated Cheyney 95-63 in a team effort including points from all 12 Crimson Hawks who took the court.  The most noted player was Sr. G Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) who earned her 9th 20-point game with a total 21-point finish.  Sr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) and Sr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) each posted double-figure points (11 from Stoner, 10 from Mathe) to help the Crimson Hawks reach their 13th consecutive win this season.  

WHAT'S NEXT
Wednesday, January 14, the Crimson Hawks will return to the Kovalchick Complex for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff against the Edinboro Fighting Scots.  Edinboro currently sits in fourth place in the PSAC West, behind IUP, California and Gannon.  

FAST START
This season's 13-0 start marks the best beginning record since 1999-2000 when IUP started off 16-0 before they saw their first loss from Edinboro, 78-66.  This team finished the season 24-5, and competed in the PSAC tournament where they were knocked out by Millersville, 76-57.  IUP later advanced to the NCAA East Regional Semifinals where, again, Millersville got the best of them, 75-73.  More recently, the Crimson Hawks began 11-0 in 2011-12 before being defeated 58-55 by Millersville. 

STAMP REACHES CAREER MILESTONE
Earlier this season, Stamp reached the 1,000 point mark on her career, including 199 points from her freshman year at Mercyhurst.  In Wednesday's matchup with Cheyney, Stamp posted 21 points for the game, and earned her 1,000th point as a Crimson Hawk.  The guard now has 1,199 total career points.   

NATIONAL ATTENTION
With the help of their 13-0 start, the Crimson Hawks have received placements in the Division II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA and the USA TODAY Sports Division II Top 25 Poll.   In the most updated poll - released Tuesday - IUP came out at No. 16.  In the D2SIDA poll, the Crimson Hawks sat at No. 11 after their victory over Bloomsburg. This week, however, IUP moved up even further, and now sit at No. 9. 

OVERCOMING RANKED OPPONENTS
In IUP's 10 games, they have earned victories over three teams who were at-the-time nationally ranked.  December 6th, the Crimson Hawks defeated No. 25 Gannon 74-51. This PSAC win came for IUP before they were ranked in either poll.  December 20th, the Crimson Hawks earned their second win over a ranked team when they overcame the No. 17 Huskies 67-53.  IUP's most recent victory, 76-54, came over No. 20 West Chester in Golden Rams territory.  

NO. 1 RANKINGS
Last weekends victories over East Stroudsburg and West Chester, paired with a Bloomsburg win over California (Pa.), moved IUP into the top of the PSAC West.  The Crimson Hawks are currently the only undefeated team in the conference.  In the Division II Atlantic Region Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA, IUP is ranked No. 1 after being tied for first with California last week.  The Vulcans have now moved down to No. 2, where they are tied with Bloomsburg.  

THE LEADER
IUP leans on Stamp, the best all-around player for the Crimson Hawks.  She tops the team with 20.6 PPG, and owns a 45.5 FG% after connecting on 99-of-200 shots from the field.  Also 1st on the team with a 39.7 3FG%, she leads with 7.6 RPG and 8 total blocks.  

This senior has posted three double-doubles this season, and has led the team in points 10 times.  This week, she was selected as the PSAC Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week for the third time this season.  

STEALING THE SHOW
As a team, the Crimson Hawks average 8.17 SPG, earning them the 10th spot in the PSAC and 125th place in the NCAA.  Sr. G Amy Fairman (Creekside, Pa. /Marion Center) leads IUP in steals with 3.0 per-game.  This statistic places her at the top of the conference, and ranks her 17th in the NCAA.  Fairman has stolen 39 total balls this season, 224 in her four-year career with IUP.  

MATHE WITH THE ASSIST
Passing 19.67 APG have earned the Crimson Hawks a top spot in the conference, and a 2nd place ranking in the NCAA.  IUP also sits at the top of the PSAC for their 1.31 assist/turnover ratio.  Sr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) holds high placements herself, with 4.9 APG - 2nd in the PSAC, 44th in the NCAA - and an assist/turnover ratio of 3.3 - 1st in the PSAC, 10th in the NCAA.