GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP Crimson Hawks (18-6, 15-5 PSAC)
vs. Pitt-Johnstown Lady Cats (7-18, 4-15 PSAC)
Wednesday, February 17, 2016 | 5:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: SidearmStats.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Watch: BackLight TV | backlighttv.com
Live Updates: Twitter | @IUP_WBB

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks celebrate Senior Night when they host Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday night at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff will follow the pregame festivities at approximately 5:30 p.m. IUP brings a three-game win streak into the matchup, including a 90-75 road victory over Slippery Rock on Saturday. The Crimson Hawks have already clinched a PSAC tournament berth with a 15-5 league record, but are still fighting for position within the division with two games left to play. They currently trail West-leading California by a half-game and lead third place Gannon by a half-game. Pitt-Johnstown sits at the bottom of the division with a 4-15 PSAC record and have only won seven games all season. The Lady Cats enter the week losers of eight straight games, with their last win coming over IUP (87-86) in overtime on Jan. 13. 

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. You can also listen on u92radio.com and on the u92radio app on your smartphone. 

STORYLINES
• IUP will be looking to avenge its 87-86 overtime loss to UPJ in Johnstown on Jan. 13; Five players reached double-figures in scoring for the Crimson Hawks, led by 21 from Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana)
• That loss to UPJ was the first for HC Tom McConnell in his three years at IUP; He is 5-1 against the Lady Cats sincethe 2013-14 season
• The Crimson Hawks boast an 11-1 record at home this season and have won nine straight games in the KCAC
• UPJ is just 2-11 away from home this year with its last road win coming at Mansfield (90-81) on Dec. 5
• The Crimson Hawks are gaining momentum as they head into the start of the postseason, defeating teams by an average of 15.7 points during their three-game win streak
• The Crimson Hawks had an historical program scoring performance in the win at Slippery Rock, as three players scored 20 points - Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) scored 28 and Zhané Brooks and Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) each had 25; It's believed to be the first time in program history that three players finished a game with at least 20 points each
• IUP is averaging 80.7 points in its last three games despite not scoring 70 in the six games previous; The Crimson Hawks are fourth in the PSAC with a 71.2 scoring average
• IUP is one of the top shooting teams in the league, leading the PSAC with a 38.6 three-point percentage and ranking third with a 43.5 field goal percentage
• IUP's current 38.6 three-point percentage is higher than last year's record-breaking season of 36.3 percent
• IUP has held opponents to 60 points or fewer points 12 times this year, including seven of the last eight games
• The Crimson Hawks are giving up an average of 60.0 points over their last eight games
• The 28 points that the Crimson Hawks scored in the fourth quarter against Slippery Rock (Jan. 9) were the most in a single quarter for IUP this season
• The Crimson Hawks gave up 34 points to Cheyney, which is tied for the 11th fewest allowed in program history and the least since allowing 32 points to Lock Haven on Feb. 21, 2011
• IUP's 78-72 win over No. 13 Cal (Dec. 16) was its first over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 20 West Chester 76-54 on Jan. 4, 2015 on the road

LESLIE STAPLETON IS ONE OF THE TOP SCORERS, SHOOTERS IN SCHOOL HISTORY
R-Sr. G Leslie Stapleton (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) became the 23rd player in IUP history to reach the 1,000-point milestone at Kutztown on Dec. 5. She enters this matchup with 1,221 career points and could become the ninth player in the history of the program to score 1,300. 
• In six career games against UPJ, Stapleton is averaging 13.2 points per game, including 21 points in this season's earlier meeting
• She has 62 career double-figure scoring games, including 20 times in 24 games this season
• She set a career-high with 28 points at Slippery Rock (Feb. 13) and has eight 20-point games this season
• Stapleton is tied for first in IUP history with a 39.5 career three-point field goal percentage (Lacey Claar, 39.5 pct)
• Stapleton is second in IUP history with 206 made three-pointers (Claar, 215)
• She has made at least one three-pointer in 90 of her 108 career games played
• Stapleton is second in Division II with a 93.8 free throw percentage (76-of-81); She opened the season making 27 straight, also had a streak of 22, and has currently made 20 in-a-row
• Stapleton is tied for No. 5 in the PSAC in points per game (16.5)
• Stapleton is No. 4 in the PSAC and No. 52 in the country in three-point field goal percentage (.394)
• Stapleton is tied for No. 4 in the PSAC and No. 74 in the country in three-point field goals per game (2.3)
• Stapleton is No. 12 in the PSAC in field goal percentage (.471)

MARINA WAREHAM IS ANOTHER THREE-POINT THREAT FOR THE CRIMSON HAWKS
Sr. G Marina Wareham (New Wilmington, Pa. /Kennedy Catholic) is a top three-point threat, ranking second in the PSAC and 33rd in the country with a 41.6 three-point percentage. Her 52 three-pointers made are seventh and her 2.2 threes per game are sixth in the conference.
• She has made at least one three in 20 of IUP's 24 games this season, including a career-high six against Edinboro (Feb. 6)
• Wareham is fourth on the team with a 10.2 points per game
• She has scored in double-figures 12 times this year, including a career-high 24 points against Edinboro (Feb. 6)
• Her 94 assists are 11th in the PSAC; She had a career-high eight assists vs. Slippery Rock (Jan. 9)
• Her 1.7 assist-turnover ratio (94-54) is seventh in the PSAC 

ZHANÉ BROOKS PROVIDES IUP's DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT
Sr. F Zhané Brooks has seven double-doubles this year, including six in her last 15 games. Her career total is 10.
• She scored a career-high 25 points at Slippery Rock (Feb. 13)
• Brooks leads the Crimson Hawks 7.3 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 14.3 points per game
• For her career, Brooks has 36 double-figure scoring games and 11 double-digit rebounding games 

MEGAN SMITH HAS BECOME A BIG TIME THREAT
So. G Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) has come into her own, reaching double-figures in scoring 11 times with three double-doubles in the last 14.
• She was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week on Monday
• Smith averaged 23.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, shot 60.0 percent from the field and 61.9 percent from three-point range last week
• Smith set new career-highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds at Slippery Rock (Feb. 13)
• Smith is third in the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game
• She has 16 double-figure scoring games this season
• She is fourth in the PSAC with 42 blocks (1.8 per game)
• Smith has 12 multi-block games, including a career-high five against Clarion (Jan. 16)

TOM McCONNELL REACHED 50 WINS AT IUP; TIED FOR FASTEST COACH IN SCHOOL HISTORY TO REACH MARK
IUP HC Tom McConnell won his 50th game at IUP with the 80-74 victory at Kutztown on Dec. 5. With the win, he tied Cindy Martin with the fastest coach in school history to reach the mark at 68 games. McConnell went 18-10 in 2013-14 and followed that up with a 25-4 record last season.