GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(5) IUP Crimson Hawks (29-3, 20-2 PSAC)
vs. (4) Stonehill Skyhawks (29-3, 20-1 NE-10)
Monday, March 19, 2018 | 9:30 p.m. EST
Sioux Falls, S.D. | Sanford Pentagon

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Stats: NCAA.om | NCAA Game Center
Radio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com | U92.5 Sports App (Android & iPhone)
Video: NCAA.com | NCAA Live
Social Media: Twitter | @IUP_WBB | @NCAADII

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Fan information for NCAA Elite Eight (IUPAthletics.com)
Division II Women's Basketball page (NCAA.com)
Sanford Pentagon website
Purchase tickets online (Ticketmaster.com)

COMING UP
National semifinals, March 21 vs. Ashland/Montana State-Billings
*Dependent on victory in previous round

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
Five-seed IUP women's basketball (29-3, 20-2 PSAC) heads to Sioux Falls, S.D. to battle four-seed Stonehill (29-3, 20-1 NE-10) in the national quarterfinals of the 2018 NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Tipoff at the Sanford Pentagon Monday night is set for 9:30 p.m. EST. The Crimson Hawks advanced to the Elite Eight after defeating Bowie State 75-60 to win the Atlantic Region Championship last week, while Stonehill advanced with a 71-61 win over USciences in the East Region final. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks won the program's first ever Atlantic Region Championship with their victory over Bowie; The program won the East Region crown in 1999
>> IUP is making the program's second all-time Elite Eight appearance (1999, 2018); The then-Indians lost to Northern Kentucky 75-67 in the 1999 national quarterfinals in Pine Bluff, Ark.
>> IUP carries an 11-11 all-time record in NCAA tournament games; This is the program's 12th overall appearance
>> This is the fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance under HC Tom McConnell, a program record; The Crimson Hawks made three straight appearances from 2007-09
>> McConnell has the most tournament appearances and wins in program history
>> The Crimson Hawks set a program record with 28 victories in their regional semifinal win over Glenville State
>> IUP has a 9-1 record against NCAA tournament teams this year, Stonehill is 6-3 

SERIES WITH STONEHILL
>> This is the second meeting between these two schools, with Stonehill defeating IUP 87-74 during an early season tournament in Manchester, NH in 1991

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SKYHAWKS
>> Stonehill won the East Region title with a 71-61 win over USciences on its home court in Easton, Mass.
>> The Skyhawks are 29-3 overall and won the Northeast-10 regular season title with a 20-1 league record
>> Stonehill lost to Bentley 73-72 in overtime in the NE-10 Championship; The Skyhawks led 37-26 at halftime
>> The Skyhawks are one of the best defensive teams in Division II, allowing 57.4 points (17th), forcing opponents to a 33.9 field goal pct. (3rd), and leading the nation with 217 blocks and 6.8 blocks per game
>> Stonehill is led by Sr. G Kelly Martin, the East Region and NE-10 Player of the Year; Martin is the only player in the NE-10 to rank in the top 12 in the league in scoring (16.3), rebounding (7.0) and assists (5.1)

CRIMSON HAWKS AMONG BEST TEAMS IN REGION, DIVISION II
>> IUP has been ranked in the top 25 of the WBCA poll in all 16 releases this year, landing in the top 10 in the nation in 10 releases
>> The Crimson Hawks reached as high as No. 2 on Jan. 17, the highest ranking in program history

TOM MCCONNELL NAMED PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR; HAS 100 WINS IN FIVE SEASONS
>> HC Tom McConnell was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year, becoming the fourth IUP coach to earn such honors from the conference
>> He was the fastest IUP coach to 100 wins with an 89-38 win over Mercyhurst (Jan. 6); He currently owns a 117-33 (.780) record in five seasons at IUP
>> His .780 win percentage is leads all IUP coaches, and his 117 victories are third (Sandy Thomas, 122, 2nd)
>> McConnell is averaging 23.4 wins per season, including a career-best 29 wins this year
>> The 25 regular season victories this year is the most in IUP history
>> IUP's 15-game win streak to open the season is the longest of McConnell's career
>> He went over the career 200-win milestone last week; He has a 202-138 (.594) record in 12 coaching seasons, including an 85-105 mark in seven seasons (1992-99) as the St. Francis (PA) head men's basketball coach

IUP IS ONE OF THE MOST BALANCED TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP ranks 5th in Division II in scoring defense (55.0 PPG); The Crimson Hawks held Glenville State (98.4 PPG) to a season-low 68 points in the national semifinals and have held opponents to less than 60 points 21 times
>> IUP is 3rd in the PSAC at 76.1 PPG and are 5th in the country with a +21.0 scoring margin
>> The Crimson Hawks set a school record with 125 points in its Education Day victory over Geneva (Dec. 18)
>> IUP also leads the PSAC in field goal pct. (46.8), 3-point pct. (36.8), defensive field goal pct. (34.4) and defensive 3-point field goal pect. (27.0), and are second in rebound margin (+5.5)

ALL-REGION PICK SMITH PUTTING UP ONE OF BEST SCORING SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
>> Sr. F Megan Smith (Blain, Pa./West Perry) earned 2nd team All-Atlantic Region and 1st team All-PSAC West honors, and was also named to the Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team
>> Smith ranks among the best in the PSAC with 18.2 PPG (5th), a 40.2 3FG% (1st), 2.5 3s per game (2nd) and a 45.6 FG% (8th); She averaged 19.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG during the Atlantic Region tournament
>> Smith's 582 total points this year is the 4th highest mark in program history, and her 18.2 PPG is tied for 10th; She set the IUP single season record with 80 3FGs made
>> She has 12 20-point performances, including two games of 30-plus points
>> Smith scored a career-high 34 points in a 72-53 win at Pitt-Johnstown (Jan. 3); It's tied for 5th in IUP history
>> Smith's 1,440 career points is 4th in program history - 3. Lindsay Stamp (1498), 2. Cathy Torchia (1722), 1. Jahzinga Tracey (2101)

WOLOSIK EXCELLED DURING REGIONAL TOURNAMENT, POISED TO BREAK IUP ASSIST RECORD
>> R-Jr. G Lauren Wolosik (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) averaged 12.7 PPG and 8.3 APG during the Atlantic Region tourney, including 11 assists against Cal and 20 points against Bowie State; She also finished with 12 steals
>> She tied the IUP single season record of 166 during the Bowie game (Patti Connaghan, 1987-88)
>> Wolosik's 5.2 assists per game is 17th in Division II and her 2.27 assist-turnover ratio is 20th

APPLEBY NAMED ATLANTIC REGION MVP, HAS BEEN A BIG GAME PRODUCER FOR CRIMSON HAWKS
>> Jr. G Carolyn Appleby (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) was named the Atlantic Region Tournament MVP averaging 17.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 3.7 APG with a 55.6 FG%; She scored 21 points with 6 boards and 5 assists against Glenville State
>> She's averaging 19.6 PPG with a 55.2 FG% against five top 25 teams this year, tying a career-high with 26 points against No. 11 Edinboro in the NCAA Showcase Game on ESPN (Feb. 21)
>> Appleby hit the 1,000-point milestone this year and her 118 career 3FGs made is 10th in IUP history