2015 PSAC Championship - Semifinals
West No. 1 IUP Crimson Hawks (25-2, 20-2 PSAC) 
vs. East No. 2 West Chester Golden Rams (24-4, 18-4 PSAC) 
Saturday, March 7, 2015 | 1:00 p.m. 
Nelson Field House | Bloomsburg, Pa.  

IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: BUHuskies.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
Live Audio: 1160 AM WCCS | 1160wccs.com
Tickets

THE GAME
The Crimson Hawks travel to Bloomsburg Saturday to compete in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) semifinals.  This marks the first time IUP has made it this far in the tournament in three years.  Earlier this season, the Crimson Hawks defeated West Chester 76-54.  At the time, the Golden Rams were ranked 20th, with IUP coming in at 25th.  In the all-time series, the Crimson Hawks lead 11-8.  

LAST TIME OUT
Tuesday, IUP overcame the Edinboro Fighting Scots 71-63 in the PSAC quarterfinals at the Kovalchick Complex.  The offensive charge was led by Sr. G Lindsay Stamp (Erie, Pa. /Mercyhurst Prep) who finished with 19P and 10R, her ninth double-double of the season.  The win improved IUP's overall record to 25-2, the first time 25 wins was reached in a single season since 2008-09.  

WHAT'S NEXT
If the Crimson Hawks defeat West Chester in the semifinals, they will advance to the PSAC championship game Sunday, March 8.  In the championship, IUP would face the winner of the Bloomsburg/California semifinal game.  

HOW THEY GOT HERE
IUP's final regular-season game of the season, a 83-59 win over Clarion, secured the Crimson Hawks top spot in the PSAC Western Division.  This first-place finish was the first the program has seen sincle the 2008 season.  

NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS
IUP is holding steady at No. 2 in this week's NCAA Division II regional rankings, released Wednesday.  These rankings determine the eight teams from each region that make the field of 64.  New rankings come each week with the bracket announcement coming March 8.  

Livingstone is expected to drop from these rankings altogether, as it was determined by the NCAA that the Blue Bears were playing an ineligible player and will forfeit 18 of their wins this season.  

Atlantic Region Rankings
1.  Livingstone        
2. IUP
3. Bloomsburg        
4. California (Pa.)
5. Gannon        
6. West Chester
7. Charleston (WV)        
8. Shepherd
9. West Liberty        
10. Edinboro

NATIONAL ATTENTION
With their 25-2 record, the Crimson Hawks have been recognized in two national polls - the USA TODAY WBCA Coaches Poll and the Division II Media Poll sponsored by D2SIDA.  This week, IUP came in at No. 7 in the USA TODAY poll, and No. 9 in the D2SIDA poll.  

WINNER, WINNER
This season has proved to be record-breaking for the Crimson Hawks.  27 wins is the most in a single season in program history.  In addition, the highest winning percentage recorded in a season was .844, posted in 2007-08 by a 27-5 IUP team.  This year's Crimson Hawks have surpassed that, earning a .923 winning percentage this far. IUP's two losses this season are also the lowest to be recorded since 1971-72 when IUP finished 7-2. 

SHOOTING BEHIND THE ARC
For the second consecutive year, the Crimson Hawks broke a single season team record in three-pointeres and head into this weekend with 221 in 27 games.  Five different players have made at least 20 this year, including Stamp with 56.  The previous team record was 195.  

TOP 25
Tuesday's quarterfinal victory improved IUP's overall record to 25-2, the first time women's basketball has tallied 25 wins in a single-season since 2008-09.   

MATHE ON FIRE
In the region, Sr. G Marita Mathe (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) remains the only player who averages a high 5.0 assists per-game.  To add, the guard is the only athlete to post a 40.0 3FG%.  

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
Stamp was named the 2015 PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Year, as the league announced its women's basketball all-
conference teams Thursday.  

Stamp leads the PSAC and is 16th in Division II with 20.1 PPG.  She's scored in double-figures in 25-of-27 games, netting 20-or-more points on 15 occasions. 

IN THE HISTORY BOOKS
Stamp remains just one of three players in IUP history to earn 500 points in a single season.  Her 543 points so far this season places her at 5th all-time, setting her just 69 points short of tying the all-time record of 612.  

LOOKING TOWARDS 1,000
Mathe goes into Saturday's game just 31 points shy of the 1,000 career-points mark.  This season, the senior averages 9.1 PPG, with a season-best of 21.  Mathe has the remaining PSAC tournament games to hit the mark, in addition to the NCAA 
tournament games.  

SEEING DOUBLE
Sr. F Ashley Stoner (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) earned her most recent double-double in the regular-season against Edinboro with 24 points and 10 rebounds  This marked her fifth double-double of the season.  In addition to Stoner, Stamp has also posted eight double-doubles this season.  Her most recent came against Gannon with 25 points and 13 rebounds.  

MATHE WITH THE ASSIST
Dishing out 18.85 APG has earned IUP a top spot in the conference and a third place ranking in the NCAA.  The Crimson Hawks also hold 1st place in the PSAC with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.31, an 6th place NCAA ranking.  

Leading the team in assists is Mathe who averages 5.2 APG, and owns a 2.9 assist/turnover ratio.  She holds the No. 2 spot for her assists per-game in the conference, 24th in the nation.  Her 2.9 assist/TO ratio places her at 2nd in the PSAC, 3rd in the nation.  

SCOUTING WEST CHESTER
The West Chester Golden Rams enter the PSAC semifinals coming off a 77-71 win over Shippensburg in the quarterfinals.  Jr. G Dallas Ely led the team against the Raiders with 19 points, with reserve Sr. F Serifat Junaid adding a team-high 13 boards.   As a team, the Golden Rams are 2nd in the PSAC for their scoring offense, averaging 75.6 PPG.  West Chester leads the conference in rebounding, posting 43.4 per-game, and 2nd in blocked shots with 4.07 per-game.  Ely leads the team with 14.4 PPG shooting 39.9% from the field.  Jr. G Brittany Sicinski is close behind Ely with 13.7 PPG, and leads the team with 59 steals.