GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(1/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (15-0, 10-0 PSAC)
vs. (13/12) California (Pa.) Vulcans (15-1, 9-1 PSAC)
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 | 5:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex (4,000)
*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)
Cal W. Basketball Page

COMING UP
Saturday, January 26 at Clarion, 1 p.m.
Wednesday, January 30 at Seton Hill, 5:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 1-ranked IUP women's basketball (15-0, 10-0) hosts a top 25 rivalry showdown as Cal U (15-1, 9-1 PSAC) visits the Kovalchick Complex Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks are coming off their most impressive win of the year, a 97-73 home victory over division-rival Edinboro Monday afternoon to keep the undefeated streak alive. The Vulcans have won five straight, including a 66-59 win over Seton Hill Monday. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> R-Sr. G Lauren Wolosik had a career afternoon with 33 points and 10 assists with just 1 turnover in IUP's win over Edinboro. Sr. G Carolyn Appleby added 23 points, her 3rd straight 20-point performance. 
>> The win came against arguably the strongest team of the season so far for the Crimson Hawks, as Edinboro entered with a 10-4 overall record and 6-3 in the league, including a previous win over Cal. 
>> It was the fifth 90-point game for the Crimson Hawks and their most points against a PSAC opponent.
>> The win was the 13th game decided by at least 20 points for the Crimson Hawks.
>> The Crimson Hawks are now 4-0 playing as the No. 1 team in Division II. 
>> IUP is 9-0 at home this season with an average scoring margin of +32.9. 
>> This is the second straight year IUP has started the year 15-0 under HC Tom McConnell. 
>> The start is the second best in program history. The 1999-00 team opened the year with 16 straight wins. 
>> This is McConnell's fourth win streak of at least 12 games during his time with the Crimson Hawks. He now has four of the top five win streaks in program history.
>> McConnell is 4-9 lifetime against the Vulcans. Those four wins have come in the last three seasons, including a 79-49 home victory in February and a 90-65 victory in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. 
>> McConnell and IUP are 2-3 against Cal at home with an average scoring margin of -5.6 points.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VULCANS
>> Cal U is 15-1 overall and 2nd in the PSAC West standings with a 9-1 league record.
>> The Vulcans are ranked No. 13 in the WBCA Coaches' Poll and No. 12 in the D2SIDA Media Poll this week.
>> Their only loss came at Edinboro 99-92 on January 2, ending a 10-game win streak. 
>> Since that loss the Vulcans are scoring just 68.2 PPG, but have +11.4 scoring and +9.8 turnover margins.
>> They are 3-1 against the current top 10 of the Atlantic Region rankings, with wins over Charleston (70-53), Seton Hill (66-59), and Bloomsburg (80-74). 

CRIMSON HAWKS RANKED NO. 1 IN WBCA TOP 25
>> The Crimson Hawks remain No. 1 in the WBCA Coaches' Top 25 for the third straight week.
>> This marks the first time in program history that IUP is the top-ranked team in Division II. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 4-0 as the No. 1 team including three road wins (Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock, ESU).
>> IUP was ranked No. 5 in the WBCA preseason poll, moving up to No. 3 on Nov. 27 and staying there for two weeks before its No. 2 ranking on Dec. 11 and first ever No. 1 ranking on Jan. 8. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are ranked No. 3 in this week's D2SIDA Media Top 25, moving up from No. 4 last week. 
>> They are also the No. 1 ranked team in the media's Atlantic Region poll, garnering all six first place votes. 

IUP IS ONE OF THE TOP SCORING TEAMS IN DIVISION II
>> The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and are ranked 9th in Division II with a scoring average of 82.8 PPG.
>> They have scored 80 points eight times and 90 or more points five times, including two 100-point outings.
>> Those 100-point games - 101 vs. Ohio Valley and 100 vs. Cheyney - are the 14th and 15th 100-point performances in program history. 
>> The 95 points against Alderson Broaddus is the 2nd most by IUP in a season opener (96 vs. Ohio Valley, 2002).
>> Three players average double-figures in scoring (Appleby 18.3, Wolosik 13.6, Robinson 10.6) while all 13 who have seen the court average better than 2.0 points.

THE IUP DEFENSE ALSO AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION
>> IUP leads Division II in 3FG% defense (.232), ranks 2nd in scoring defense (49.6) and FG% defense (.322), 3rd in turnovers forced (20.14), and 24th in steals per game (11.0).
>> IUP has held opponents to 50 or fewer points seven times, including a season-low 32 points to Shippensburg. That's tied for the 10th fewest allowed in program history and the least given up since the 2011-12 season.
>> IUP has forced at least 13 turnovers in all 15 games, including eight games of 20-plus. 
>> IUP has faced eight of the top 10 individual scorers in the PSAC, holding them to an average of 6.3 points below their current averages. Ariel Jones (Shippensburg) averages 25.7 points but was held to just 10 on December 8. 

CAROLYN APPLEBY IS IUP'S TOP SCORING THREAT
>> Sr. G Carolyn Appleby ranks 6th in the PSAC with 18.3 PPG. As one of the top pure shooters in the league, she also ranks 4th with a 86.0 FT%, 12th with a 44.0 FG%, and has 24 3-pointers. 
>> She has seven 20-point games hitting the mark in three straight games and five times in the last eight outings. 
>> Appleby is averaging 20.0 PPG against PSAC teams, including a season-high 25 at East Stroudsburg.

LAUREN WOLOSIK IS ON A HOT STREAK
>> R-Sr. G Lauren Wolosik was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week Tuesday after averaging 26.0 PPG, 6.5 APG, 3.5 SPG with a 74.1 FG% and 9 3-pointers in IUP wins over East Stroudsburg and Edinboro. 
>> She scored a career-high 33 points on 14-18 FGs and dished out 10 assists in the win over Edinboro. 
>> In six games since returning from injury, she's averaging 15.0 PPG, 7.0 APG, 3.7 SPG with a 55.7 FG% and 17 made 3-pointers.  

BRITTANY ROBINSON CONTRIBUTES ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR
>> Sr. F Brittany Robinson is 3rd in IUP history with 144 career blocks, including a team-high 15 this year. 
>> She's 3rd on the team in scoring at 10.6 PPG, with three games of at least 18 points.
>> Robinson's 56.6 career FG% is the best mark in program history. She's shooting 56.1 pct. this season. 
 
LEXI GRIGGS PROVING VALUABLE IN HER FIRST YEAR AS A STARTER
>> Jr. F Lexi Griggs is 4th on the team in scoring (9.9 PPG), 2nd in rebounding (6.5 RPG) and 3rd in assists (34).
>> She also 2nd on the team with a 56.3 FG% (67-114) and 11 blocks. 
>> Griggs has three double-doubles this season, including two in the last five games. She posted a career-high 17 points in the win over Pitt-Johnstown and had a personal-best 12 boards at Slippery Rock.