MATCHUP
(8/9) IUP Crimson Hawks vs. (-/-) Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 5:30 p.m. | Kovalchick Complex, Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect WBCA/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (25-2, 20-1 PSAC) (PDF) | Pitt-Johnstown (16-11, 11-10 PSAC)

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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, March 4 vs. TBD (PSAC Quarterfinals), 5:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 8-ranked IUP women's basketball (25-2, 20-1 PSAC) rolls into its final regular season action as they host playoff bound Pitt-Johnstown (16-11, 11-10 PSAC) on Senior Night this Saturday. Tipoff at the Kovalchick Complex is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks enter with a four-game win streak, including back-to-back blowouts, coming off a 77-46 win at Clarion. UPJ has won three straight, including a 74-67 win at Seton Hill this week. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> So. G Rajah Fink scored a career-high 24 points in just 26 minutes in the Clarion win. She went 9-12 from the floor and 6-8 from the foul line with 5 rebounds.
>> Saturday's game is Senior Night for the Crimson Hawks as they'll honor Lexi Griggs, Madison Kerr and Natalie Myers before tipoff. The group has helped IUP to a 109-17 record over the last four seasons with three straight PSAC West titles, two tournament championships, and back-to-back national semifinal appearances. 
>> IUP has locked up the PSAC West regular season title and top seed with homecourt advantage for the conference tournament. It's the third straight PSAC West title and fourth in the last six years under HC Tom McConnell. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are also looking to strengthen their grip on their No. 1 NCAA Atlantic Region ranking. The rankings determine the NCAA tournament field with the top seed earning regional hosting rights. 
>> A win would give IUP its best regular season in program history with 26 wins (25, 2017-18). 
>> The Hawks are looking to sweep the season series with UPJ, winning a 58-53 nail-biter at Johnson Jan. 22. The shorthanded Hawks committed 28 turnovers but forced UPJ into 27 percent shooting to get the win. 
>> McConnell is 13-1 against Pitt-Johnstown, winning eight straight dating back to the 2015-16 season. 
>> In those eight wins, the Hawks are giving up just 48.6 points per game to the Mountain Cats. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 13-1 at home this year and 80-8 (.909) over the last six seasons. 
>> This year IUP has a +20.9 scoring margin at the KCAC and is limiting opponents to a 33.1 FG%. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 42-8 in February and March over the last four seasons, including 23-6 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 MOUNTAIN CATS
>> UPJ is 16-11 overall and locked into the fifth spot in the PSAC West standings with a 11-10 league record.
>> The Mountain Cats will play either Cal U or Edinboro in the first round of the PSAC tournament Monday.
>> They've won three straight over Clarion, Mercyhurst and Seton Hill by an average of 6.0 PPG. 
>> UPJ is 3-8 in true road games with wins coming over Mercyhurst, Seton Hill and Clarion. 

IUP NO. 1 IN NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks are No. 1 in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings for the second straight week. 
>> The top seed in each of Division II's eight regions will serve as the host for its respective region championships.
>> The last in-season ranking will be released next Wednesday before the Division II field of 64 is announced March 8. 

HAWKS HAVE HOME COURT ADVANTAGE IN PSACs
>> IUP clinched at least a share of the PSAC West regular season crown and the top 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 will be going for their 7th all-time PSAC tourney title, and their 3rd under HC Tom McConnell.

CRIMSON HAWKS UP TO NO. 8 IN THE TOP 25
>> The Crimson Hawks moved up one spot to No. 8 in this week's WBCA Top 25. 
>> IUP has spent the entire season in the top 25 poll, including eight straight weeks in the top-10. 
>> IUP has been ranked in the WBCA Top 25 for 50 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 (53.4, 7th), field goal percentage defense (.322, 1st), and 3-point percentage defense (.249, 3rd). 
>> IUP is also 2nd in the league and 8th in the country with 5.6 blocks per game. 
>> The Hawks have held opponents under 60 points 21 times in 27 games, including each of the last nine. 
>> 10 times opponents have failed to score 50 points. 
>> In 15 divisional games, IUP has limited opponents to 53.6 PPG, a 31.7 FG% and a 23.0 3FG%, and has tallied 96 blocks (6.4 BPG) and 106 steals (7.1 SPG). 

LEADERS ON THE GLASS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 12th in Division II with a +10.2 rebounding margin.
>> The Hawks have won or tied the battle of the boards 25 times in 27 games, including 13 times against PSAC West opponents. 
>> IUP outrebounded the Mountain Cats by 12 in the season's first meeting. Sr. G Natalie Myers grabbed a career-high 14 boards.  

IUP LOOKING TO REGAIN 3-BALL FORM
>> Even with its recent slump, IUP still leads the PSAC and is 6th in Division II with a 38.6 3FG% this season.
>> The Hawks have made 33-115 (.287) 3-pointers over the last six games. 
>> IUP went 6-14 from 3 in the first meeting with UPJ and is shooting 39.5 percent from deep at home. 
>> IUP boasts two of the top three 3-point shooters in the PSAC - Sr. G Natalie Myers at 45.6 percent and R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander at 41.3 percent. 

MASCARO SHOWS OFF SCORING MENTALITY
>> Jr. G Justina Mascaro leads IUP in scoring at 14.8 PPG and has shooting percentages of .546/.458/.753.
>> A consistent shooter, she's 3rd in the PSAC with a 54.6 FG%. She's converted 50 percent or better from the field 20 times in 26 games. 
>> She's also tops on the team with 18 double-figure scoring games and nine 20-point performances. 
>> Mascaro is also 10th in the PSAC with 29 blocks. 
>> She's earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors twice and a defensive POW award once.
>> Mascaro missed the season's first meeting with Pitt-Johnstown due to the flu. 

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 45.3 3FG%. 
>> Her 67 made 3-pointers are 3rd in the league. 
>> Myers is 6th in IUP single season history with those 67 made 3-pointers. Leslie Stapleton ('15-16) is 5th with 68 and Marina Wareham ('15-16) is 4th with 70.
>> Myers has made a 3-pointer in 23 of 27 games.
>> She's bounced back from a rough stretch to go 6-13 in the last two games, including 4-8 at Clarion. 
>> She leads IUP with 7.3 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 32nd in Division II with a 54.7 FG% (129-236). 
>> She has 18 double-digit scoring games, including a season-high 22 points vs. Cal U. 
>> Griggs had her first double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Seton Hill. 
>> Griggs is 3rd on the team in scoring (12.4 PPG) and rebounding (5.8 RPG) and leads the Hawks with 65 assists and 45 steals. 

ALEXANDER PROVIDES ANOTHER DEEP THREAT
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander is 3rd in the PSAC and 31st in Division II with a 41.3 3FG%. 
>> She's scored a career-high 20 points three times - at Shippensburg, vs. Clarion and vs. Edinboro. 

FINK HEATING UP DOWN THE STRETCH
>> So. G Rajah Fink is IUP's 2nd leading scoring over the last seven games at 12.1 PPG.
>> She's shooting 56.9 percent during that stretch.
>> Fink had a career-high 24 points in 26 minutes at Clarion and 20 points off the bench at Mercyhurst.