MATCHUP
(4/6) IUP Crimson Hawks vs. (-/-) Gannon Lady Knights
Saturday, February 15, 2020 | 5:30 p.m. | Kovalchick Complex, Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (21-2, 16-1 PSAC) (PDF) | Gannon (19-5, 15-3 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
Wednesday, Feb. 19 vs. Edinboro, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22 at Seton Hill, 1 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 4-ranked IUP women's basketball (21-2, 16-1 PSAC) looks to rebound from its first loss since November as they return home to host Gannon (19-5, 15-3 PSAC) Saturday night. Tipoff at the Kovalchick Complex is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks saw their 19-game win streak end Wednesday night at the hands of rival Cal U, 57-52. The Lady Knights have won eight of their last nine games, including a 76-49 win over Mercyhurst this week. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Jr. G Justina Mascaro was the only player in double-figures with 20 points in IUP's loss to Cal U Wednesday. 
>> IUP lost the turnover battle, giving it up 21 times while the Vulcans committed only 8. The Crimson Hawks' defense was the strength, limited Cal U to a 28.8 FG% (17-59), including 9-29 from 3-point range. 
>> The Vulcans have ended four of IUP's top five all-time win streaks this decade, including 15-game streaks in 2018 and 2019 and a 13-game streak in 2015. 
>> Since the 2017-18 season, IUP is 7-0 in games following regular season losses with an average scoring margin of +29.0. The Hawks have responded with blowout wins over Cal U (90-65) and Edinboro (88-60), among others.
>> The Hawks are looking for their fifth regular season sweep of Gannon in seven years under HC Tom McConnell. IUP defeated Gannon 62-48 in Erie back on Jan. 11, with Mascaro scoring a team-high 17 points. 
>> McConnell is 11-3 against Gannon, including nine straight victories dating back to the 2015-16 season. 
>> The Crimson Hawks have won six straight home matchups with Gannon since the 2014-15 season. Those wins have come by an average margin of +16.3, including last year's 66-40 victory. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 11-1 at home this year and 78-8 (.907) over the last six seasons. 
>> This year IUP has a +23.3 scoring margin at the KCAC and is limiting opponents to a 32.8 FG%. 
>> The Hawks lead the PSAC in points allowed (53.0), defensive field goal percentage (.322) and defensive 3-point percentage (.251), and are 2nd in blocks (5.3). IUP has held opponents under 60 points 18 times in 23 games. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LADY KNIGHTS
>> Gannon is 19-5 overall and is right behind IUP in the PSAC West standings with a 15-3 league record.
>> The Lady Knights are 8-1 since falling to IUP in January, with that lone loss coming at Edinboro (56-52).
>> GU is 9-4 away from home this season, but has won seven of its last eight on the road since late December. 
>> The Lady Knights are 3rd in the PSAC in scoring defense at 61.0 and have held opponents under 60 points each of the last four games. 
>> Tori Obenrader is a player of the year candidate, leading GU with 17.0 PPG and 7.8 RPG. 

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 LOOKING TO START NEW WIN STREAK
>> The Crimson Hawks are coming off their program record 19-game win streak which ended Wednesday.
>> The streak began with an 87-32 win over Pitt-Bradford and lasted 85 days. 10 of the 19 wins came on the road.
>> The Hawks had a scoring margin of +18.7 during the streak and limited opponents to 51.5 PPG. 
>> The old record of 16 straight wins came during the 1999-00 season under HC Sandy Thomas. 
>> 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 18 times, including eight times under 50. 
>> In 11 divisional games, IUP has limited opponents to a 31.6 FG% and a 23.8 3FG%, and has tallied 68 blocks (6.2 BPG) and 73 steals (6.6 SPG). 
>> IUP boasts three players in the top-20 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 40.6 3FG% this season. 
>> IUP takes just 16 3-pointers per game (13th in PSAC) but its 6.7 made 3s per game are 5th in the league.
>> Against divisional opponents, the Hawks are converting 42.0 percent from deep with 7.2 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 among the best in Division II at 47.9 percent.

SHOOTERS SHOOT
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 6th in Division II with a 47.1 FG%. The Hawks have made 50.0 percent of their shots nine times, including four in the last seven 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 54.7 percent.
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers would rank 7th with a 51.4 FG%, but her 4.7 made FGs per game does not qualify. 

MYERS AMONG TOP 3-POINT SHOOTERS IN DII
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers entered the week as the nation's leading 3-point shooter and is currently shooting 47.9 percent (58-121).  
>> Her 58 made 3s is 3rd in the PSAC and 48th in DII. 
>> She is tied with Lindsay Stamp ('14-15) for 9th in single season IUP history. Next up is Leslie Stapleton ('13-14) who had 59. 
>> Myers has made a 3-pointer in 19 of 23 games, including a run of 10 games that ended last Saturday.
>> Against the PSAC West Myers is averaging a team-best 14.0 PPG and 8.1 RPG with a 51.0 FG% 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 14.6 PPG, posting seven 20-point games. 
>> She's earned two PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors, and a defensive POW award once.
>> Mascaro is 3rd in the PSAC with a 54.7 FG% (122-223) 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.
>> Mascaro is coming off a 20-point performance at Cal U and scored 17 points in the last meeting with Gannon.
>> She would rank 8th in Division II with a 46.2 3FG% but her 24 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 57.6 FG% (110-191). 
>> She has 15 double-digit scoring games, including a season-high 22 points vs. Cal U. 
>> Griggs is 3rd on the team in scoring (12.7 PPG) and rebounding (5.3 RPG) and leads the Hawks with 55 assists and 30 steals. 

'GREEN' MEANS SHOOT FOR ALEXANDER
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander has been IUP's 4th leading scorer during divisional play with 11.6 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 16 points on the strength of 4 3-pointers in the first meeting with Gannon.
>> She is 2nd in the PSAC and 10th in Division II with a 44.9 3FG%. 
>> During conference play she leads all PSAC players at 50.5 percent (48-95) in 17 games.