GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(3/11) IUP Crimson Hawks (7-0, 2-0 PSAC)
vs. Shippensburg Raiders (4-4, 2-0 PSAC)
Saturday, December 8, 2018 | 5:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Memorial Field House (2,200)
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

HOW TO FOLLOW
Stats: IUPAthletics.com | Statbroadcast
Watch: IUPathletics.com/watch | IUP-TV
Video App: PSAC Sports Network
Radio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Audio App: U92.5 Sports App (Android & iPhone)
Social Media: Twitter | @IUP_WBB

GAME PREVIEWS
IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Shippensburg W. Basketball page

COMING UP
Tuesday, December 18 vs. West Chester, 5:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
3rd-ranked IUP women's basketball (7-0, 2-0 PSAC) returns home for its third straight cross-divisional game against Shippensburg (4-4, 2-0) Saturday night. The game will be played at the Memorial Field House with a tipoff time of 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks swept last weekend's conference openers at Kutztown and Millersville by an average of 28 points to remain unbeaten on the season. Shippensburg dropped a non-conference game to Lincoln Wednesday night after winning a pair of PSAC crossover games last weekend.  

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP's blowout wins last weekend came by scores of 72-51 at Kutztown and 87-52 at Millersville. Six different players averaged double-digits in scoring, led by Sr. G Carolyn Appleby with 18.3 PPG. 
>> This game is the only one this season scheduled for the Memorial Field House.
>> Since moving to the Kovalchick Complex before the 2011-12 season, IUP has played in the Field House five times and are a perfect 5-0 when playing in its old gym, including three conference victories.
>> The Crimson Hawks went 2-0 at the Field House last year - 82-54 win over W.Va. Wesleyan and a 78-53 win over Lock Haven.
>> Each of IUP's seven victories this season have been blowouts, the closest being the 72-51 (21 points) victory at Kutztown Saturday.
>> IUP HC Tom McConnell is 4-0 against Shippensburg since the 2013-14 season. These teams last met in the 2017 PSAC semifinals at Shippensburg, with the Crimson Hawks winning 67-58 in overtime. 
>> Since Coach McConnell's first season, the Crimson Hawks are 30-3 against PSAC East teams during the regular season. That includes 19 straight wins, with the last loss coming to West Chester (92-79) Nov. 22, 2015.
>> McConnell is 32-5 combined against the PSAC East, with a 2-2 record postseason record. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE RAIDERS 
>> Shippensburg enters the matchup 4-4 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC. 
>> The Raiders are coming off a 77-76 loss at home to Lincoln (3-5) Wednesday night.
>> They are one of the worst teams in the PSAC in turnover margin and give the ball up 21.0 times per game.
>> This will be Shippensburg's first road game of the season. Last year the Raiders were 4-10 away from home. 
>> The Raiders are 2nd in the PSAC with a 45.5 FG%, led by Fr. F Aunbrielle Green at 51.2 pct. (43-84). 
>> So. G Ariel Jones is 2nd in the PSAC with 26.0 PPG. She has three 30-point games, including a season-high 34 points on 12-24 shooting at UPJ, and has shooting percentages of .486/.370/.794.

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN DIVISION II
>> For the second straight week, the Crimson Hawks are ranked 3rd in the WBCA Top 25 Poll released Tuesday. They moved up two spots to 11th in the D2SIDA Media Top 25.
>> This is IUP's highest national ranking since sitting at Nos. 2 and 3 in the WBCA poll for most of January last season. The No. 2 ranking last year was the program's best ever. 
>> IUP opened the year ranked 5th and 18th, respectively, in the polls. The WBCA ranking is the program's highest preseason ranking ever. 
>> The Crimson Hawks finished the year No. 3 in the WBCA.
>> They are also ranked No. 2 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll, garnering two of the six first place votes. 

SCORING PACE FOR IUP OFF TO A HOT START
>> The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and are 6th in Division II with a scoring average of 86.4 points per game. 
>> The 605 total points scored is the most ever by the program in the first seven games of a season. 
>> The 95 points against Alderson Broaddus is the 2nd most by IUP in a season opener (96 vs. Ohio Valley, 2002).
>> IUP has two 100-point outings this year - 101 vs. Ohio Valley and 100 vs. Cheyney. They are the 14th and 15th 100-point performances in school history. 
>> Individual scoring is spread out with just two players (Appleby, 15.7 Wolosik, 11.5) averaging in double-figures. All 13 players who play average at least 2.0 points and six players average at least 8.6 per game.
 
APPLEBY LEADS THE WAY IN 2018-19
>> Sr. G Carolyn Appleby leads the team and is tied for 10th in the PSAC in scoring with 15.7 PPG. 
>> She has six straight double-digit scoring games, including two 20-point outings, and has led the Crimson Hawks in scoring four times. 
>> Appleby was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week Monday after averaging 18.3 PPG and 6.3 APG with 12 steals in leading the Crimson Hawks to three victories. 
>> She enters this game 14th in IUP history with 1,227 career points. She's 38 points away from tying Julie Kibler (1979-83) for 13th with 1,265 points. 
>> She is also 9th at IUP with 129 made 3-pointers. She needs 2 more to tie former teammate Marina Wareham (2012-16) for 8th with 131. 

BRITTANY ROBINSON MAKING RUN AT BLOCKS RECORD
>> Sr. F Brittany Robinson enters this game with 136 career blocks, 4th in IUP history. 
>> She's 2 swats away from tying former teammate Megan Smith (138, 2014-18) for 3rd and could make a run at the all-time program record of 186 held by Jodi Frederick (1996-01). 
>> Robinson is currently the program's all-time field goal percentage leader at 56.5 pct. (320-566). 
>> She started the year 6-17 from the field but has shot 65.5 pct. (19-29) with 11.8 PPG in her last four outings. 

LEXI GRIGGS STEPPING UP IN FIRST YEAR AS A STARTER
>> Jr. F Lexi Griggs is excelling in her first year as a starter, leading the team in rebounding at 6.3 RPG and ranks 3rd in scoring at 9.9 PPG. She's also tied for the team-lead with 24 assists. 
>> Griggs opened the year with her first career double double (15 pts, 10 rebs) against Alderson Broaddus and has five double-figure scoring games this year.

NEWCOMER NATALIE MYERS FITTING IN
>> Jr. G Natalie Myers, a transfer from Youngstown State, averages 8.6 PPG and is tied for 2nd on the team an average of 6.1 RPG.  
>> She posted her first career double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds in her IUP debut, and nearly missed another with a season-high 15 points and 9 rebounds last against Cheyney.
>> Myers is shooting 44.7 percent (21-47) from the field and 41.4 percent (12-29) from 3-point range.