MATCHUP
(4/6) IUP Crimson Hawks at (-/-) Cal U Vulcans
Wednesday, February 2, 2020 | 5:30 p.m. | Convocation Center, California, Pa.
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (21-1, 16-0 PSAC) (PDF) | Cal U (16-6, 10-6 PSAC)

FOLLOW
Watch: CalUVulcans.com (Stretch Internet) | Live Stats: CalUVulcans.com (SIDEARM Sports) | Listen: WQMU 92.5, U92 Sports App | Twitter Updates: @IUP_WBB

COMING UP
Saturday, Feb. 15 vs. Gannon, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 19 vs. Edinboro, 5:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 4-ranked IUP women's basketball (21-1, 16-0 PSAC) looks to extend its record win streak with a high-profile road matchup at rival Cal U (16-6, 10-6 PSAC) Wednesday night. Tipoff at the Convoction Center is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks won their 19th straight in a Saturday night 77-48 blowout of Slippery Rock in front of 1,500 at the Kovalchick Complex. The Vulcans have won three straight, including a 76-51 road win over UPJ last Wednesday.

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs scored a team-high 21 points and So. G Rajah Fink added 16 off the bench in Saturday's win. It was Griggs' second 20-point outing and the second straight big game off the bench for Fink.
>> The IUP defense limited Slippery Rock to a 23.1 field goal percentage (15-65), its worst output of the season. 
>> The win extended the program record to 19 straight after breaking the old record of 16 two weeks ago.
>> 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 (19, 15 2x, 13, 12). 
>> The Crimson Hawks are looking to sweep their rival after defeating the No. 20 Vulcans 76-61 at home Jan. 18. Griggs scored 22 points while Sr. G Natalie Myers posted a double-double in that win. 
>> A win would mark IUP's first regular season sweep of Cal U since the 2012-13 season. It would also break IUP's seven-game losing streak (including postseason) in California since a 59-47 victory in January 2013. 
>> McConnell is 6-11 against Cal U, with three of those wins ending the Vulcans postseason runs each of the last
three seasons. He's 4-3 overall against Cal U during that span. 
>> IUP is 10-0 on the road this year with a +15.0 scoring margin. The Hawks are limiting opponents to 52.5 points and a 31.8 FG% in their own gyms.
>> The Hawks lead the PSAC in points allowed (52.8), defensive field goal percentage (.323) and defensive 3-point percentage (.246), and are 2nd in blocks (5.5). IUP has held opponents under 60 points 17 times in 22 games. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VULCANS
>> Cal U is 16-6 overall and tied for 3rd in the PSAC West standings with a 10-6 league record.
>> The Vulcans are 9-2 at home this season, with losses coming to Edinboro (73-72) and Mercyhurst (62-55).
>> The Vulcans' loss at IUP last month was the first of three straight defeats. They've won each of their last three by an average of 17.3 points. 
>> Those wins came against UPJ, Slippery Rock and Clarion, teams with a combined 14-37 PSAC record. 
>> Cal U force a PSAC-best 20.6 turnovers per game but is 16th in the league with a 37.0 FG%

CRIMSON HAWKS UP TO NO. 4 IN THE RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks slid up one spot to No. 4 in this week's WBCA Top 25. 
>> This is the highest ranking of the season after spending the last two weeks at No. 5.  
>> 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 48 straight releases dating back to the 2016-17 season. 

IUP's 19 STRAIGHT WINS ARE PROGRAM RECORD
>> The Crimson Hawks won their 19th straight game Saturday to extend the program record. 
>> IUP has not lost since falling to No. 22 Glenville State 86-79 on Nov. 15, including 10 wins on the road. 
>> The old record of 16 straight wins came during the 1999-00 season under HC Sandy Thomas. 
>> IUP has a +18.7 scoring margin during the streak and has held opponents under 60 points 15 times. 
>> HC Tom McConnell's teams have five of the top six win streaks in program history (19, 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 2nd in 3FG percentage (.246), 3rd in field goal percentage (.323), 6th in points allowed (52.8), and 9th in blocks per game (5.5).   
>> The Crimson Hawks have held opponents under 60 points 17 times, including eight times under 50. 
>> In 10 divisional games, IUP has limited opponents to a 31.9 FG% and a 22.7 3FG%, and has tallied 67 blocks (6.7 BPG) and 71 steals (7.1 SPG). 
>> IUP boasts three players in the top-15 of the PSAC in blocks - R-Jr. F Maura D'Anna (31), Jr. G Justina Mascaro (25) and Sr. F Lexi Griggs (17).  

3-BALL AGAIN EFFECTIVE PART OF IUP OFFENSE
>> The Crimson Hawks lead in the PSAC and 2nd in Division II with a 41.0 3FG% this season. 
>> IUP takes just 16 3-pointers per game (13th in PSAC) but its 6.8 made 3s per game are tied for 4th.
>> Against divisional opponents, the Hawks are converting 43.0 percent from deep with 7.4 3FGs per game. 
>> IUP made 12 3s vs. Seton Hill and made 11 each against Clarion and at Slippery Rock.
>> 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 49.6 percent. 

SHOOTERS SHOOT
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 6th in Division II with a 47.4 FG%. The Hawks have made 50.0 percent of their shots nine times, including four in the last six games.
>> The Crimson Hawks boast two of the top shooters in the PSAC, with Sr. F Lexi Griggs leading the league with a 57.5 FG%. Jr. G Justina Mascaro is 4th at 54.5 percent.
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers would rank 7th with a 52.0 FG%, but her 4.7 made FGs per game does not qualify. 

MYERS AMONG TOP 3-POINT SHOOTERS IN DII
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers enters the week as the nation's leading 3-point shooter at 49.6 percent (57-115). 
>> Her 57 made 3s ranks 3rd in the PSAC and is 48th in Division II. 
>> She is tied for 10th (Lacey Claar, 10-11) in single season IUP history. Lindsay Stamp (14-15) is 9th with 58. 
>> Myers has made a 3-pointer in 18 of 22 games, including a run of 10 games that ended Saturday.
>> Against the PSAC West Myers is averaging 14.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG with a 52.2 FG%, 50.0 3FG% and 89.3 FT%. 
>> She has four 20-point games and 7 double-doubles.

MASCARO EXCELLING IN FIRST YEAR AT IUP
>> Transfer Jr. G Justina Mascaro leads the team in scoring at 14.4 PPG, posting six 20-point games. 
>> She's earned two PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors, and a defensive POW award once.
>> Mascaro is 4th in the PSAC with a 54.5 FG% (153-211) and 8th with 25 blocks. 
>> She posted four straight 20-point outings from December into January, including a career-high 32 points in the win at Shippensburg.
>> She would rank 16th in Division II with a 44.9 3FG% but her 22 made 3s aren't enough to qualify.

GRIGGS LEADS PSAC IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs leads the PSAC and ranks 19th in Division II with a 57.5 FG% (107-186). 
>> She has 15 double-digit scoring games, including a season-high 22 points vs. Cal U. 
>> Griggs is 3rd on the team in scoring (13.1 PPG) and rebounding (5.1 RPG) and leads the Hawks with 55 assists and 30 steals. 
>> Griggs is averaging 15.0 PPG over her last six games with a pair of 20-point performances. 

'GREEN' MEANS SHOOT FOR ALEXANDER
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander has been IUP's 4th leading scorer during divisional play with 11.9 PPG.
>> Seven of her 10 double-figure scoring games this season have come against divisional opponents.
>> Alexander has two games of 20 points and 6 3-pointers, including the Jan. 25 win over Clarion.
>> She had 10 points in the first meeting against Cal U, goign 3-5 from 3-point range. 
>> She is 2nd in the PSAC and 10th in Division II with a 45.9 3FG%. 
>> During conference play she leads all players at 51.7 percent (46-89) in 16 games.