MATCHUP
(9/9) IUP Crimson Hawks at (-/-) Seton Hill Griffins
Saturday, February 22, 2020 | 5:30 p.m. | McKenna Center, Greensburg, Pa.
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (23-2, 18-1 PSAC) (PDF) | Seton Hill (13-12, 7-12 PSAC)

FOLLOW
Watch: Westmoreland Sports | Live Stats: Athletics.SetonHill.edu (StretchInternet) | Listen: WQMU 92.5, U92 Sports App | Twitter Updates: @IUP_WBB

COMING UP
Wednesday, Feb. 26 at Clarion, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 29 vs. Pitt-Johnstown, 5:30 p.m. (Senior Night)

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 9-ranked IUP women's basketball (23-2, 18-1 PSAC), fresh off its biggest win of the season, heads to Greensburg Saturday to face Seton Hill (13-12, 7-12). Tipoff at the McKenna Center is set for 1 p.m. The Crimson Hawks clinched at least a share of the PSAC West regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with an 80-72 double overtime win over Edinboro Wednesday. The Griffins lost to Cal U 71-56 Wednesday night.

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Jr. G Justina Mascaro tallied her third straight 20-point performance with a team-high 23 points in the win over Edinboro. R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander added 20 points on the strength of four 3-pointers. 
>> The win gave IUP at least a share of the PSAC West regular season title for the third straight season and fourth time in the last six years under HC Tom McConnell. IUP is 56-6 (.903) in the league since 2017. 
>> With its regular season sweep over second place Gannon, the Hawks also clinched the No. 1 seed in the division and home court advantage for March's PSAC tournament. 
>> IUP will host the winner of the No. 4/5 matchup in the PSAC quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 4. A win in that round would make IUP and the KCAC hosts for the conference semifinals and championship that weekend.
>> The Crimson Hawks are looking to sweep the season series with Seton Hill, also defeating the Griffins 81-55 at home back on Jan. 29. Sr. G Natalie Myers scored 22 points and made 6 3-pointers. 
>> McConnell is 12-3 against Seton Hill, including a 4-2 record in Greensburg. IUP has won the last three road meetings with Seton Hill by an average of 17.0 points. 
>> IUP is 10-1 on the road this year with a +13.2 scoring margin. The Hawks are limiting opponents to a 31.5 field goal percentage and 52.9 PPG on their own courts. IUP's only road loss came to rival Cal U, 57-52 last week. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 41-8 in February and March over the last four seasons, including 22-6 in games away from Indiana. IUP won PSAC titles on the road in 2017 and 2019 and back-to-back regional titles in VA and WV. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRIFFINS
>> Seton Hill is 13-12 overall and tied for 6th in the divisional standings with a 7-12 league record.
>> The Griffins head into their final three games tied with Mercyhurst for the final playoff spot.
>> Seton Hill has a 7-5 record in the McKenna Center this season, including 2-4 against divisional opponents. 
>> SHU is 1-5 since falling to IUP January 29 and 1-10 since starting the season 12-2. 
>> The Griffins lead the PSAC with 75.5 PPG. 

IUP NO. 1 IN NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks debuted at No. 1 in the Atlantic Region when the NCAA released its Division II regional rankings Wednesday.
>> It's the first of three in-season ranking releases before the Division II field of 64 is announced March 8. 

HAWKS CLINCH HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
>> IUP clinched at least a share of the PSAC West regular season crown and the op seed for the PSAC tournament. 
>> The Hawks will have home court advantage with hosting rights for PSAC championship weekend if they advance past the quarterfinal round.
>> This marks IUP's third straight PSAC West title and fourth in the last six years. 
>> The Crimson Hawks have 8 all-time PSAC West titles, second only to Cal U's 9. 

CRIMSON HAWKS DROP TO NO. 9 IN THE TOP 25
>> The Crimson Hawks moved down five spots to No. 9 in this week's WBCA Top 25 following their loss to Cal U. 
>> IUP has spent the entire season in the top 25 poll, including seven straight weeks in the top-10. 
>> IUP has been ranked in the WBCA Top 25 for 49 straight releases dating back to the 2016-17 season. 

DEFENSE ONE OF BEST IN DIVISION II
>> The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and rank near the top of Division II in scoring defense (53.8, 9th), field goal percentage defense (.324, 2nd), and 3-point percentage defense (.255, 9th). 
>> IUP is also 2nd in the league and 8th in the country with 5.5 blocks per game. 
>> The Hawks have held opponents under 60 points 19 times in 25 games, including each of the last seven. 
>> Eight times opponents have failed to score 50 points. 
>> In 13 divisional games, IUP has limited opponents to 54.9 PPG, a 32.2 FG% and a 24.9 3FG%, and has tallied 84 blocks (6.5 BPG) and 92 steals (7.2 SPG). 

LEADERS ON THE GLASS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 11th in Division II with a +10.2 rebounding margin.
>> The Hawks have won or tied the battle of the boards 23 times in 25 games, including 11 times against PSAC West opponents. 
>> They outrebounded Seton Hill by 5 (38-33) in the season's first meeting. 

IUP LOOKING TO REGAIN 3-BALL FORM
>> Even with its recent slump, IUP still leads the PSAC and is 4th in Division II with a 39.3 3FG% this season.
>> After going 23-47 in games against Clarion and Seton Hill, the Hawks have made 27-79 over their last five. 
>> IUP went 12-25 from 3-point range in the first meeting with Seton Hill. Sr. G Natalie Myers and R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander combined to go 11-16. 
>> IUP boasts two of the top three 3-point shooters in the PSAC - Sr. G Natalie Myers at 45.5 percent and R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander at 41.6 percent. 

MASCARO HEATING UP DOWN THE STRETCH
>> Transfer Jr. G Justina Mascaro is averaging 22.0 PPG with a 59.5 FG% and 5-6 3FGs over the last three games.
>> She's posted three straight 20-point performances, including 23 points in back-to-back games against Gannon and Edinboro. 
>> She has a team-high nine 20-point games this year. 
>> Mascaro leads the Crimson Hawks with 15.3 PPG and has shooting percentages of .553/.491/.753. 
>> She's earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors twice and a defensive POW award once.
>> Mascaro's 55.3 FG% is 3rd in the PSAC and 32nd in DII. 
>> She's also 10th in the conference with 27 blocks. 

MYERS AMONG TOP 3-POINT SHOOTERS IN DII
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers enters the week leading the PSAC and ranking 12th in Division II with a 45.5 3FG%. 
>> Her 61 made 3-pointers are 3rd in the league. 
>> Myers is 8th in IUP single season history with those 61 made 3-pointers. Next up is Lauren Wolosik ('16-17) who is 7th with 62 3-pointers. 
>> Myers has made a 3-pointer in 21 of 25 games.
>> She leads IUP with 7.5 RPG and is 2nd at 13.0 PPG. 
>> Myers has four 20-point games and 7 double-doubles.

GRIGGS AMONG TOP SHOOTERS IN THE PSAC
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs is 2nd in the PSAC and 23rd in Division II with a 55.7 FG% (117-210). 
>> She has 16 double-digit scoring games, including a season-high 22 points vs. Cal U. 
>> Griggs is 3rd on the team in scoring (12.4 PPG) and rebounding (5.5 RPG) and leads the Hawks with 61 assists and 38 steals. 

ALEXANDER PROVIDES ANOTHER DEEP THREAT
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander is 3rd in the PSAC and 33rd in Division II with a 41.6 3FG%. 
>> She's averaging 11.7 PPG with a 44.2 3FG% in 13 divisional games, including a caeer-high 20 points against Clarion and Edinboro. 

FINK HEATING UP DOWN THE STRETCH
>> So. G Rajah Fink is averaging 10.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG with a 51.8 FG% over her last seven games.
>> She scored a career-high 20 points in 32 minutes off the bench at Mercyhurst and had 16 points in 23 minutes against Slippery Rock.