INDIANA, Pa. - The No. 21 IUP women's basketball team (12-4, 6-4 PSAC) finishes up the week and begins another with games against Mercyhurst (6-10, 4-6 PSAC) on Saturday and Cal U (10-3, 5-3 PSAC) on Monday. The Crimson Hawks will host the Lakers Saturday at 1 p.m. and will travel to California Monday night for a 5:30 p.m. tip. IUP is coming off a 76-67 home win over Edinboro on Wednesday. Mercyhurst is coming off a team pause and has not played since falling to Edinoro Jan. 19 and the Vulcans are coming off a 62-56 win over Seton Hill this week.

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP's win over Edinboro was the 800th in program history, dating back to its pre-NCAA days (1971-present).
>> Jr. G Rajah Fink had her first career double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday's win. The 20 points tied her career-high and she's averaging 15.8 PPG with a 62.5 FG% (25-40) over her last four games.
>> Fr. G Kiera Baughman came off the bench to score a career-high 18 points on 5-9 FGs and 6-9 FTs. 
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has missed five straight games after getting injured in the win over Shippensburg on Dec. 19. She scored a career-high 31 points with a program-record 9 3FGs against the Raiders.
>> IUP HC McConnell is 12-3 against Mercyhurst, including 8-0 at home. Two of those eight wins were decided by single digits as IUP has an average scoring margin of +19.0 at home against the Lakers. 
>> IUP is 8-2 at home this year with an average scoring margin of +19.6 PPG. 
>> McConnell is 7-12 all-time against Cal U, including 6-4 in the last 10 meetings. All seven of those victories have either come at home or at a neutral site in the postseason. 
>> The last meeting between IUP and Cal U came in the 2020 PSAC quarterfinals, a game the Hawks won 68-65 in overtime at the Kovalchick Complex. 
>> The Hawks are 44-9 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season. That record includes a 23-3 mark at home and a 21-6 record away. IUP is 2-3 against divisional teams this year. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LAKERS
>> Mercyhurst is 6-10 overall and 8th in the PSAC West standings with a 4-6 league record.
>> The Lakers have been on a pause due to COVID and have not played since losing to Edinoro 91-89 on Jan. 29.
>> MU is 1-4 this month with a -3.2 scoring margin. Four of those games have been decided by 7 or fewer points.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VULCANS
>> Cal U enters the weekend with a 10-3 record and is 3rd in the PSAC West with a 5-3 league mark.
>> The Vulcans are 5th in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll and have spent time in the DII top 25 this season. 
>> Cal U leads the PSAC and ranks 9th in Division II in both points allowed (52.4) and turnovers forced (24.3).

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks fell four spots to No. 21 in this week's WBCA Coaches' Top 25.
>> IUP's highest ranks this season were No. 8 by the coaches and No. 6 by the media. 
>> The Hawks have been ranked in the top-25 of either poll for 61 of the last 62 weeks they have been eligible dating back to the 2017-18 preseason. 
>> IUP has been ranked in the top-10 in 45 of those possible 62 polls. 
>> The Hawks spent 14 straight weeks in the top-5 during the 2018-19 season, including a 3-week run at No. 1. 

IUP OPENED SEASON WITH 9 STRAIGHT WINS
>> The Crimson Hawks won their first 9 games of the season, going 6-0 against non-conference opponents.
>> It was the third time in the last four seasons the Hawks went unbeaten in regular season non-league play.
>> They had a +22.6 scoring margin in those 9 wins. 
>> It was the fourth longest win streak to start a season under HC Tom McConnell (15 twice, 13 once).
>> The best start in program history was 16 straight wins to open the 1999-00 season. 
EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES
>> All 15 players on the roster have played multiple games this season.
>> 10 Hawks have played in at least 11 of the 15 games and average more than 7.5 minutes per game.
>> Six players average more than 6.4 points for the PSAC's 4th-ranked scoring offense. Two are in double-figures.
>> Seven different players have led the Crimson Hawks in scoring this season.
>> Eight players have scored in double-figures at least once this season.

IUP DEFENSE HAS BEEN KEY
>> The Crimson Hawks are 2nd in the PSAC and rank 17th in Division II with 54.2 points allowed this season.
>> They have held opponents to 60 or fewer points 10 times in 16 games, including three times under 40. 
>> IUP gave up a season-low 35 points to Mount Aloysius on Nov. 17. The Hawks also allowed 38 points to Livingstone and 40 points to Millersville.
>> The Hawks are 2nd in the PSAC and rank 14th in Division II in defensive field goal percentage (.340). 
>> Six times IUP has forced an opponent to shoot less than 30 percent, with UDC shooting a season-low 24.4 pct. on Nov. 21. 
>> The Hawks are 6th in the PSAC with 8.9 steals per game. They've had double-digit steals six times, including a season-high 18 against Mount Aloysius. 

WINNING THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
>> The Hawks lead the PSAC and rank 11th in Division II with +9.8 rebound margin.
>> They've won the battle of the boards 13 times in their 16 games, including seven times in 10 PSAC games.
>> IUP's 39.6 rebounds per game is 5th in the PSAC.
>> Six players have led IUP in rebounding this year.
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna has a team-high 7.2 RPG and Fr. F Gina Adams averages 5.2 RPG.

ALWAYS LOOKING TO HELP
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 34th in Division II with 15.7 assists per game - 251 in 16 games.
>> IUP has assisted on 59.6 pct of its 421 made buckets.
>> The Hawks have dished out double-digit assists in all 16 games this year, including three games of 20+.
>> They dished out a season-high 25 assists in the win over Mount Aloysius and 21 against Shippensburg.
>> Eight players have double-digit assists, including seven with 22 or more assists. 
>> So. G Maria Cerro has led IUP in assists eight times in 16 games and has a team-best 50 dimes - 3.1 APG. 

KNOCKING THEM DOWN
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC and 25th in Division II in field goal percentage at 45.2 pct. (421-931). 
>> The Hawks have knocked down half their shots in a game four times, including a season-best 53.4 pct. (31-58) at Ohio Dominican.
>> IUP is 11-1 this year when shooting better from the field than its opponent. 1-3 when shooting worse.
>> Four regular Hawks are converting at least half their shots this year - Sr. G Justina Mascaro at 51.5 pct. (87-169), Jr. F Teirra Preston at 51.2 pct. (22-43), Sr. F Maura D'Anna at 51.0 pct. (53-104), and Jr. G Mikayla Lovelace at 50.0 pct. (13-26).

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN
>> The Hawks are averaging 7.3 3-pointers made over their last 11 games.
>> They had a season-high 12 3FGs made against Shippensburg (Dec. 19) and 9 against Edinboro (Jan. 26).
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has been the main source of that run, hitting 31 treys over her last six games. She set an IUP single-game record with 9 against Shippensburg.
>> Traditionally one of the top 3-point teams in Division II, IUP made 37.7 pct. in 2019-20 and 38.0 pct. in 2018-19.

 A NEW ADDITION IN 2022
>> Grace Mangapora joined the team on Jan. 4. She made her debut against Gannon on Jan. 16.
>> She's played in four games and is shooting 57.1 pct (4-7), including 3-6 from 3-point range.
>> Mangapora just finished her sophomore season on the IUP women's volleyball team where she started 10 matches this fall.
>> She was a 4-year starter, 1,000-point scorer, an Division I All-Ohio selection Canfield HS. 

ALEXANDER LOOKS TO CONTINUE BREAKOUT
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has missed five straight games with an injury she suffered on Dec. 19. 
>> She currently leads the team with 14.4 PPG and 39 3FGs made and is 3rd with a 35.8 3FG%.
>> She set an IUP single game record with 9 3-pointers in the win over Shippensburg on Dec. 19.
>> Alexander tied the previous record of 8 in the win over Kuztown on Dec. 3. 
>> Her 3.55 made 3FGs per game leads the PSAC and ranks 3rd in Division II.
>> She's scored in double-figures in seven straight games, averaging 18.9 PPG, after averaging 6.5 PPG in the first four games of the season.
>> Alexander has three 20-point games, including a career-high 31 points against Shippensburg.
>> Her 19.6 PPG in PSAC games ranks 3rd in the league.
>> Alexander is also shooting 46.4 pct. (26-56) from 3-point range against conference opponents.
>> She is 10th in IUP history with 135 career 3-pointers made (Eryn Withers, 9th, 141). 
>> Alexander has a 3.38 (27-8) assist-turnover ratio this year, including 6-1 over the last three games. 

MASCARO BRINGS CONSISTENCY
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro is 2nd on the team in scoring (13.5 PPG), 3rd in rebounding (4.9 RPG) and 3rd in assists (34).  
>> She's led IUP in scoring six times and has reached double-figures 13 times in 16 games.
>> Mascaro hit season-highs of 24 points, 10 made FGs and 4 made 3FGs against Gannon on Jan. 16.
>> Mascaro ranks 6th in the PSAC with a 51.5 FG%.
>> She's shot at least 50.0 pct. in a game nine times in 16 games, including games of 6-7 (.857) against Millersville and 5-6 (.833) against Shippensburg.
>> Mascaro has scored in double-figures 34 times in 46 career games at IUP, including 10 20-point games.

CERRO STEPPING UP IN SECOND SEASON
>> So. G Maria Cerro is 7th on the team with 5.8 PPG.
>> She has three double-figure scoring games, including a career-high 23 points against UDC on Nov. 21.
>> She averaged 13.3 PPG over a 4-game stretch earlier in the season.
>> Cerro is 2nd in the PSAC with a 1.5 assist-turnover (50-34) ratio.
>> She had a season-high 7 assists against Shepherd and has two 6-assist games.

D'ANNA PROVIDES EXPERIENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna is 4th on the team with 7.3 PPG and has a team-best 7.2 RPG. 
>> She has five double-figure scoring games including a season-high 14 points against Virginia State.
>> D'Anna posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards against Livingstone.
>> She has three games of 10+ boards.
>> She's converted at least half her shots in 9 of her 16 games, including 7-8 against Virginia State.
>> Her 1.5 blocks per game is tied for 5th in the PSAC, getting a career-high 4 blocks against Virginia State.

ADAMS A STARTER IN FIRST SEASON
>> Fr. F Gina Adams as started all 16 games for the Crimson Hawks this season.
>> She's averaging 6.4 PPG and had a season-high 16 points in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Adams is 2nd on the team in rebounding a 5.2 RPG. She had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Ohio Dominican.
>> She's shooting 44.1 pct. (41-93) from the field and has coverted at least half her shots in eight games.
>> Adams came to IUP in 2020 but the team did not play due to COVID-19. 
>> She was a Division I All-Ohio selection at Westlake HS where she averaged 15.8 PPG as a senior.

KB PROVIDES SCORING OFF THE BENCH
>> Fr. G Kiera Baughman is 3rd on the team in scoring at 9.6 PPG in 17.9 minutes off the bench. 
>> She's averaging 21.5 points per 40 minutes of action.
>> Baughman has 9 double-figure scoring games, including a season-high 18 points against Edinboro.
>> She is averaging 11.4 PPG with seven double-figure scoring games over her last nine outings.
>> Baughman came to IUP in 2020 but the team did not play due to COVID-19. 
>> She was a 5A All-Pennsylvania selection at Donegal HS where she averaged 23.7 PPG as a senior.

FINK IN THE LINEUP
>> Jr. G Rajah Fink has started each of the last five games with Sr. G Courtney Alexander sidelined.
>> Fink tallied her first career double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds against Edinboro (Jan. 26).
>> She's averaging 15.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 3.5 APG with a 62.5 FG% (25-40) over her last four games. 
>> Fink also had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists at Pitt-Johnstown (Jan. 24).