GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 12/RV IUP Crimson Hawks (19-2, 14-2 PSAC)
vs. Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats (9-13, 6-11 PSAC)
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 | 5:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Stats: IUPAthletics.com | Statbroadcast
Radio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com | U92.5 Sports App (Android & iPhone)
Video: IUPAthletics.com | IUPAthletics.com/watch
Social Media: Twitter | @IUP_WBB

COMING UP
Monday, Feb. 12 at Gannon (5:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Clarion (5:30 p.m.)

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
12th-ranked IUP women's basketball (19-2, 14-2 PSAC) enters the stretch run of the regular season as they host Pitt-Johnstown (9-13, 6-11 PSAC) Wednesday night at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. Victorious in each of their last two games, the Crimson Hawks look to start another long win streak over the final month of the season. UPJ defeated Clarion 66-55 Saturday, putting an end to a five-game losing streak. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks won the season's first meeting with UPJ, 72-53 in Johnstown on Jan. 3; Sr. F Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) scored a career-high 34 points and IUP forced 27 turnovers
>> IUP is coming off of a dominant 60-45 win over Gannon in the KCAC Saturday night; The Crimson Hawks boast a 12-0 home record, limiting opponents to 50 points per game and outscoring them by nearly 31
>> Pitt-Johnstown is 5-6 away from home this year but has lost four straight road games since early January
>> A win Wednesday would put the Crimson Hawks at 20-2 on the year, tied for the best 22-game stretch in program history; The 2007-08 and 2014-15 teams each started 20-2
>> IUP's 15-game win streak this season is the second longest in program history (16, 1999-00)

SERIES WITH PITT-JOHNSTOWN
>> The Mountain Cats lead the all-time series with IUP, 35-17
>> The Crimson Hawks have won 11 of the last 12 against UPJ dating back to the 2007-08 season; The only loss was by a score of 87-86 in Johnstown on Jan. 13, 2016
>> IUP HC Tom McConnell is 9-1 against Pitt-Johnstown, including 5-0 at home; The Crimson Hawks have outscored UPJ 82.2-55.8, posting three 79-point performances

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN CATS
>> UPJ is 9-13 overall and currently in eighth in the PSAC West standings with a 6-11 league record
>> One of the lowest scoring teams in the conference, the Mountain Cats are averaging 58.4 points over their last five games (1-4) 
>> The Mountain Cats are 0-4 in their last four road games, getting outscored 64.3-48.8 by Gannon, Seton Hill, California and Edinboro
>> Sr. F Olivia McCabe leads the Mountain Cats with 14.8 PPG this year, scoring 18 against IUP on Jan. 3
>> UPJ does have one of the best defensive teams in the PSAC, giving up 62.7 points (4th) with a 38.2 FG% (6th), and force opponents into 17.0 turnovers per game
 
CRIMSON HAWKS AMONG TOP 25 TEAMS 
>> IUP has been ranked in the top 25 of the WBCA coaches poll in all 10 releases this season, reaching as high as No. 2 on  Jan. 17
>> That No. 2 ranking is the highest achieved in program history
>> The Crimson Hawks were also ranked No. 2 in the D2SIDA media poll for three straight weeks

TOM MCCONNELL HAS WON 100 GAMES AT IUP IN LESS THAN FIVE SEASONS
>> HC Tom McConnell won his 100th game on the IUP bench with the 89-38 win over Mercyhurst (Jan. 6)
>> McConnell's .768 win percentage is second all-time among IUP coaches, and his 107 victories are one short of tying Jeff Dow (2008-13) for third - 1. Jan Kiger (141), 2. Sandy Thomas (122), 3. Jeff Dow (108)
>> McConnell is averaging 22 wins per season, including a career-best 25 during the 2014-15 season
>> IUP's 15-game win streak this year is the longest of his career
>> He's also nearing the career 200-win milestone with a 192-137 (.587) record in 12 coaching seasons; McConnell went 85-105 in seven seasons (1992-99) as the St. Francis head men's basketball coach

IUP IS ONE OF THE TOP SCORING AND SHOOTING TEAMS IN THE PSAC
>> The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC with a 47.5 FG% (605-1,273) and a 37.0 3FG% (143-387); They rank fifth and 18th, respectively, in those categories nationally
>> They still lead the league in 3-point shooting despite making just 16-59 (27.1%) over the last four games
>> IUP has made 10 3-pointers six times, including a season-high 11 against Lock Haven and Mercyhurst
>> The Crimson Hawks' 76.1 PPG is third in the PSAC and among the best marks in program history; The school record is 79.4 PPG set during the 1995-96 season
>> IUP has scored 80-plus points seven times and has defeated teams by at least 20 points on 11 occasions
>> The Crimson Hawks set a school record with 125 points in its Education Day victory over Geneva (Dec. 18)

SMITH PUTTING TOGETHER A CAREER SCORING YEAR
>> Sr. F Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) leads IUP and ranks 7th in the PSAC with 16.7 PPG
>> She has six 20-point performances and has reached double-figures 16 times in 21 games
>> Smith scored a career-high 34 points in a 72-53 win at Pitt-Johnstown (Jan. 3); She went 12-18 from the field, 6-9 from 3-point range, and 4-6 from the foul line
>> Smith hit the 1,000-point milestone at Mansfield; Her 1,208 career points is 14th in program history - 13. Theresa Kabala (1223), 12. Julie Kibler (1265), 11. Sherri Leysock (1277), 10. Sue Brecko (1299)
>> Her career 3-point percentage of 41.3 is currently the best in program history, and her 131 career treys are tied with Marina Wareham for 7th - 6. Eryn Withers (Burtonsville, Md./Springbrook) (141), 5. Lindsay Stamp (169), 4. Katie Glaws (170)

WOLOSIK ONE OF TOP DISHERS IN THE PSAC
>> R-Jr. G Lauren Wolosik (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) leads the PSAC and ranks 35th in Division II with 4.9 assists per game
>> She set a career-high with 10 assists in a 79-61 win over East Stroudsburg (Jan. 10)
>> Wolosik leads the PSAC and ranks 20th in Division II with a 2.2 assist-turnover ratio

APPLEBY TURNING UP THE OFFENSE
>> Jr. G Carolyn Appleby (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) leads the team in scoring over the last eight games with 15.5 PPG
>> She's scored in double-figures in each of the last eight games, going for 21 points at Mercyhurst and 20 points against Clarion
>> Appleby ranks 12th in the PSAC with a 42.7 FG% (109-255)