MATCHUP
(5/7) IUP Crimson Hawks vs. (-/-) Seton Hill Griffins
Wednesday, January 29, 2020 | 5:30 p.m. | Kovalchick Complex, Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (18-1, 13-0 PSAC) | Seton Hill (12-6, 7-5 PSAC)

FOLLOW
Watch: IUP-TV Sports (Stretch Internet) | Live Stats: IUPstats.com (StatBroadcast) | Listen: WQMU 92.5, U92 Sports App | Twitter Updates: @IUP_WBB

COMING UP
Saturday, Feb. 1 at Mercyhurst, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 8 vs. Slippery Rock, 5:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 5-ranked IUP women's basketball (18-1, 13-0 PSAC) goes for a record-breaking 17th consecutive win Wednesday night when they host Seton Hill (12-6, 7-6 PSAC) at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks won their 16th straight Saturday, tying the 20-year old record with an 82-50 home victory over Clarion. After a hot start, the Griffins have cooled off with four straight losses, including a 79-65 decision at UPJ Saturday.

TIPOFF NOTES
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander came off the bench to tie career-highs with 20 points and 6 3-pointers in the Hawks' 32-point victory over Clarion. She added 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block in 25 minutes. 
>> IUP overcame a rough start to score 27 second quarter points and outscored Clarion 26-7 in the fourth. 
>> The Hawks posted their biggest advantage on the glass of the season, outrebounding Clarion 42-18. IUP
shot 55.2 percent from the floor and made 11-22 from 3-point range. 
>> This is the third straight year that IUP has accumulated a win streak of at least 15 games under HC Tom McConnell. In his seven seasons at IUP, he has five of the top-6 streaks in program history (16, 15 2x, 13, 12). 
>> The original 16-game win streak was set by Sandy Thomas' 1999-00 team that finished 24-5. 
>> McConnell is 11-3 against Seton Hill, including 7-1 in the Kovalchick Complex. The Griffins upended IUP 71-59 on Senior Night last season before the Hawks posted a 67-53 PSAC quarterfinal victory four days later. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 9-1 at home this year and 76-8 (.905) over the last six seasons. 
>> This year IUP has a +22.4 scoring margin at the KCAC and is limiting opponents to a 34.2 FG%. 
>> The Hawks lead the PSAC in points allowed (52.6), defensive field goal percentage (.326) and defensive 3-point percentage (.247). IUP has held opponents under 60 points 14 times in 19 games. 
>> In the last four games the Hawks have a 52.8 FG% and a 43.5 3FG% with 30 made 3s. They also have a rebounding margin of +13.2 averaging 41.5 boards per game. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRIFFINS
>> Seton Hill is 12-6 overall and tied with Cal U for 4th in the PSAC Western Division with a 7-6 league record. 
>> The Griffins started the year 6-0 and had an 11-1 overall record after a Jan. 6 win over Clarion. 
>> In their last six games they've gone 1-5 with a -10.3 scoring margin. They're only win was an 82-76 defeat of Slippery Rock Jan. 11. 
>> The Griffins lead the PSAC and rank 13th in Division II with 79.9 PPG. They  have nine 80-point games with five of those coming against PSAC teams.
>> Seton Hill also leads the PSAC with 160 made 3s. 

CRIMSON HAWKS MOVE UP IN THE RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks moved up one spot to No. 5 in this week's WBCA Top 25. 
>> This is the highest ranking of the season, spending the last four weeks inside the top-10.
>> IUP has been in the top 25 all season long, including a No. 9 ranking in the preseason poll.
>> IUP has been ranked in the WBCA Top 25 for 46 straight releases dating back to the 2016-17 season. 

IUP's WIN STREAK REACHES 16 GAMES
>> The Crimson Hawks have won 16 straight games since falling to No. 22 Glenville State 86-79 on Nov. 15. 
>> The 16 consecutive is tied for the program record originally set to open the 1999-00 season.
>> This marks the third straight season the Crimson Hawks have put together at least 15 straight victories.
>> HC Tom McConnell's teams have five of the top six win streaks in program history (16, 15 2x, 14, 13, 12). 

DEFENSE ONE OF BEST IN DIVISION II
>> IUP ranks near the top of the country in several defensive categories, including 5th in 3FG percentage (.246), 6th in points allowed (52.6), 7th in field goal percentage (.326), and 13th in blocks per game (5.3).   
>> The Crimson Hawks have held opponents under 60 points 14 times and to 50 or fewer points seven times, including four games in the 30s. 
>> In the last six games IUP has limited opponents to a 32.4 FG%, 21.0 3FG% and has tallied 42 blocks (7.0 BPG) and 43 steals (7.2 SPG). 
>> IUP boasts three players in the top-15 of the PSAC in blocks - R-Jr. F Maura D'Anna (29), Jr. G Justina Mascaro (20) and Sr. F Lexi Griggs (15).  

3-BALL AGAIN EFFECTIVE PART OF IUP OFFENSE
>> The Crimson Hawks lead in the PSAC and 2nd in Division II with a 41.2 3FG% this season. 
>> IUP takes just 16 3-pointers per game (12th in PSAC) but its 6.7 made 3s per game are 5th in the league.
>> The Crimson Hawks have made 10+ 3-pointers four times this year, including a season-high 14 in the opener against Davis & Elkins. 
>> IUP's three main 3-point shooters are all connecting on at least 40 percent from deep, with Sr. G Natalie Myers leading Division II at 50.5 percent. 
>> IUP's 41.2 3FG% this season is the best mark in seven years under HC Tom McConnell. 

SHOOTERS SHOOT
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC and 10th in Division II with a 47.2 FG%. The Hawks have made 50.0 percent of their shots eight times in 19 games. 
>> The Crimson Hawks boast two of the top shooters in the PSAC, with Sr. F Lexi Griggs leading the league with a 57.6 FG%. Jr. G Justina Mascaro is 3rd at 55.4 percent.
>> In the last five games IUP is shooting 52.0 percent (128-188) from the field and 75.3 percent (52-69) from the foul line. 

MASCARO MAKING BIG LEAPS IN FIRST YEAR AT IUP
>> Transfer Jr. G Justina Mascaro leads the team in scoring at 14.8 PPG posting six 20-point games. 
>> In her last nine games Mascaro is averaging 17.7 PPG and has a 58.5 FG% (62-106). 
>> Mascaro scored a career-high 32 points and had her first collegiate double-double (11 rebounds) in the win over Shippensburg.
>> She's 3rd in the PSAC with a 55.4 FG% (103-186) and is tied for 8th with 20 blocks.
>> Mascaro was named PSAC West co-Defensive Athlete of the Week Monday and has won athlete of the week honors on two occasions. 

MYERS AMONG TOP 3-POINT SHOOTERS IN DII
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers enters the week as the nation's leading 3-point shooter at 50.5 percent (49-97). 
>> She's also 3rd in the PSAC with 48 3-pointers made and 2.53 made per game. 
>> In the month of January Myers is shooting 53.8 percent (21-39) from long range.
>> Myers has six games of 4+ made 3s, including a career-high 6 against Davis & Elkins and Salem. 
>> Myers is 2nd on the team with 13.7 PPG and leads IUP with 7.8 RPG. 
>> She's second to Mascaro with three 20-point games and has a team-best 6 double-doubles. 

GRIGGS LEADS PSAC IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs leads the PSAC and ranks 28th in Division II with a 57.6 FG% (91-158). 
>> In the last four games she's shooting 60.9 percent (25-41), including a 10-14 performance against Cal U. 
>> She scored a season-high 22 points against the Vulcans and has four other games of at least 17 points. 
>> She's 3rd on the team in scoring at 12.7 PPG and 3rd in rebounding with 5.1 RPG. 
>> She missed two games due to injury and returned at Shepherd by scoring 18 points. 

'GREEN' MEANS SHOOT FOR ALEXANDER
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander has been IUP's top 3-point shooter during conference play, leading the PSAC with a 50.0 3FG% (37-74) in 13 league games. 
>> She has a career-high 6 3-pointers twice (Mansfield, Clarion) and has 35 total in her last 11 games. 
>> Alexander also hit 5 against Slippery Rock and had 4 made 3s against Shippensburg and Gannon.
>> Over the last six games she's IUP's second leading scorer at 13.5 PPG.