MATCHUP
(W1) IUP Crimson Hawks vs. (E2) East Stroudsburg Warriors
Saturday, March 7, 2020 | 3:30 p.m. | Kovalchick Complex, Indiana, Pa. 

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (27-2, 21-1 PSAC) (PDF) | East Stroudsburg (20-9, 15-7 PSAC) | PSAC Tournament Central

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 (*with victory) 
Sunday, March 8 vs. TBD (PSAC Championship), 3 p.m. 

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
Top-seeded IUP women's basketball (27-2, 21-1 PSAC) looks to keep the momentum as they host East Stroudsburg (20-9, 15-7 PSAC) in the semifinals of the 2020 PSAC Championships Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks advanced with a thrilling 68-65 overtime home win over rival Cal U in Wednesday's quarterfinals. The Warriors advanced to the weekend with a 53-42 home victory over Bloomsburg. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP is making its 23rd all-time PSAC tournament appearance, including 15 straight dating back to 2006.
>> The Crimson Hawks are 31-16 (.660) in the PSAC tournament and 8-6 in the quarterfinal round. This is IUP's sixth straight PSAC semifinal appearance under HC Tom McConnell. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are looking for the program's seventh PSAC Championship and third under McConnell in the last four seasons. A seventh title would be the most in league history.
>> This year marked IUP's eighth PSAC West regular season title, including its third straight and fourth in the last
five seasons under McConnell.
>> The Hawks enter the PSAC tournament sitting at No. 1 in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings. 
>> The Hawks posted their best regular season and best conference record in program history at 26-2 and 21-1. 
>> IUP won the regular season matchup with East Stroudsburg, defeating the Warriors 65-50 in the NCAA Division II Showcase. Sr. F Lexi Griggs scored 17 points as IUP shot 56.8 percent from the field. 
>> McConnell is 5-0 against East Stroudsburg, including a 3-0 mark at home. The 15-point win in November was the closest in the last five meetings as the Hawks have a +20.4 scoring margin against ESU under McConnell. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 15-1 at home this year and 82-8 (.911) over the last six seasons.
>> This year IUP has a +19.7 scoring margin at the KCAC and is limiting opponents to a 33.5 FG%. 
>> The Hawks are 45-8 in February and March over the last four seasons, including a 25-2 record at home. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WARRIORS
>> East Stroudsburg is 20-9 overall and earned the No. 2 seed in the East with a 15-7 conference record. 
>> ESU is making its first PSAC semifinal appearance since the 2016-17 season (L, Cal U, 71-69). 
>> ESU went 5-6 in road games this year, including 0-3 against PSAC West teams (UPJ, IUP, Gannon). 

IUP NO. 1 IN NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks are No. 1 in the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings for the third 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 March 4 before the Division II field of 64 is announced March 8. 

HAWKS WIN PSAC WEST, SEEK TOURNAMENT TITLE
>> IUP won the program's third straight PSAC West regular season title, clinching it with an 80-72 2OT win over Edinboro February 19. 
>> It's the program's seventh divisional crown, including its fourth in the last six seasons under HC Tom McConnell.
>> The Hawks are looking for back-to-back PSAC tournament championships, defeating Kutztown 72-57 last year.
>> IUP has six PSAC tournament titles, including 2017 and 2019 under McConnell. 

IUP PUT TOGETHER BEST EVER REGULAR SEASON
>> The Crimson Hawks finished the regular season with a 26-2 record, the best in program history.
>> IUP's 21-1 league record is also its best ever. 
>> The Hawks set a new program record with a 19-game win streak that lasted from Nov. 20 - Feb. 12. 
>> IUP has spent the entire season in the WBCA Top 25 poll, including nine straight weeks in the top-10. 

DEFENSE ONE OF BEST IN DIVISION II
>> The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and rank near the top of Division II in scoring defense (53.3, 8th), field goal percentage defense (.324, 3rd), and 3-point percentage defense (.243, 1st). 
>> IUP is also 2nd in the league and 11th in the country with 5.2 blocks per game. 
>> The Hawks have held opponents under 60 points 22 times in 29 games, including 10 of the last 12. 
>> 11 times opponents have failed to score 50 points. 

LEADERS ON THE GLASS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 10th in Division II with a +10.0 rebounding margin.
>> The Hawks have won or tied the battle of the boards 27 times in 29 games, including a +12 advantage in the first meeting with the Warriors. 

MCCONNELL NAMED PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
>> HC Tom McConnell was named PSAC West Coach of the Year for the third straight season.
>> He becomes the first coach in PSAC history to earn the award three straight years. 
>> He hit 250 career wins earlier this season and is IUP's all-time wins leader with 175 with an .814 percentage. 

THREE HAWKS NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-PSAC WEST
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs, Jr. G Justina Mascaro and Sr. G Natalie Myers each earned 1st team All-PSAC West honors.
>> It's the first time since 1984 that IUP has put three players on the PSAC's first team. 
>> It's the fourth straight year that IUP has put three players on all-conference teams. 

GRIGGS NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
>> Sr. F Lexi Griggs earned PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year honors in addition to her 1st team nod. 
>> Routinely assigned to the opponent's top offensive player, she leads IUP with 47 steals and has 24 blocks.
>> Griggs is 3rd on the team with 12.8 PPG and 5.7 RPG. 
>> She's 2nd in the PSAC with a 56.3 FG%.
>> Griggs has 20 double-figure scoring games, including a season-high 22 against Cal U Jan. 18. 
>> Griggs had her first double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds at Seton Hill. 

MASCARO STANDS OUT IN FIRST YEAR AT IUP
>> Jr. G Justina Mascaro leads IUP in scoring at 14.3 PPG and has shooting percentages of .539/.435/.753.
>> A consistent shooter, she's 3rd in the PSAC with a 53.9 FG%. She's converted 50 percent or better from the field 20 times in 28 games. 
>> She has a team-high nine 20-point games, including a career-high 32 points (+11 boards) at Shippensburg. 
>> Mascaro is 10th in the PSAC with 30 blocks. 
>> She's earned PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors twice and a defensive POW award once.

MYERS AMONG TOP 3-POINT SHOOTERS IN DII
>> Sr. G Natalie Myers enters the weekend leading the PSAC and ranking 15th in Division II with a 44.5 3FG%. 
>> Her 73 made 3-pointers are 3rd in the league. 
>> Myers is 3rd in IUP single season history with those 73 made 3-pointers. Lacey Claar ('09-10) is 2nd with 74 and Megan Smith ('17-18) has the record with 89. 
>> Myers has 4+ 3-pointers eight times, including a career-high 6 three times. 
>> She leads IUP with 7.3 RPG and is 2nd at 13.0 PPG. 
>> Myers has four 20-point games and 7 double-doubles.

ALEXANDER PROVIDES ANOTHER DEEP THREAT
>> R-Jr. G Courtney Alexander is 3rd in the PSAC and 24th in Division II with a 42.1 3FG%. 
>> Her 69 3-pointers are 2nd behind Myers and 6th in IUP single season history. Marina Wareham ('15-16) is 5th with 70 and Katie Glaws ('06-07) had 71. 
>> Alexander scored a team-high 17 points in the quarterfinal win over Cal U and has a career-high 20 points on three occasions. 

FINK HEATING UP DOWN THE STRETCH
>> So. G Rajah Fink has provided a scoring threat off the bench, hitting double-figures five times in the last nine games while averaging 11.0 PPG. 
>> She scored a career-high 24 points in the win at Clarion and had 20 points Feb. 1 at Mercyhurst.