INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's basketball team (18-7, 12-7 PSAC) heads into a pivotal stretch to end the regular season starting with Seton Hill (20-8, 14-5 PSAC) on Saturday night. Tipoff at the KCAC is set for 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks look to get back their momentum after losing at Edinboro 71-61 Wednesday. The Griffins have split their last six games and are also coming off a loss, falling gat home to Cal U 60-51 this week. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro scored 21 points on 9-12 FGs to go along with 7 rebounds and 5 steals at Edinboro. It was Mascaro's third 20-point effort of the season, all over the last 14 games. 
>> The loss ended IUP's 8-game win streak the Fighting Scots. It was IUP's first loss in Edinboro since 2013-14. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 5-1 in games following a loss this year. They are a combined 13-1 in games following regular season defeats since the start of the 2017-18 season. 
>> IUP has clinched the program's 16th straight PSAC tournament appearance, the second longest active streak in the conference behind Cal U's 21 straight. 
>> IUP is No. 8 in the Atlantic in the NCAA's initial ranking release.
>> The Hawks enter the final three games of the regular season fighting for positioning in the PSAC West standings. Cal U leads with a 13-4 league record, Gannon is 2nd at 15-5, Seton Hill is 3rd at 14-5, and IUP is 4th at 12-7. 
>> Seton Hill won the first meeting of the season, 71-59 in Greensburg on Jan. 19. IUP outshot and outrebounded (31-to-25) the Griffins, but turned the ball over 20 times and committed 22 fouls in the loss. 
>> HC Tom McConnell is 13-4 all-time against Seton Hill, including 8-1 at home with a +13.7 scoring margin. 
>> The Hawks are 49-12 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season. That record includes a 25-4 mark at home and a 24-8 record away. IUP is 7-6 against divisional teams this year.
>> IUP is 102-16 (.864) at home under McConnell, including 54-8 (.871) since the start of the 2017-18 season. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRIFFINS
>> Seton Hill is 20-8 overall and 3rd in the PSAC West standings with a 14-5 league record.
>> The Griffins are No. 5 in the NCAA's initial Atlantic Region rankings for the Division II tournament. 
>> The Griffins are 5-4 in true road games, including a 61-52 victory over No. 25 Gannon on Feb. 5. 

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks are not ranked in either major poll, falling out of the WBCA coaches' poll three weeks ago.
>> IUP had been ranked for 10 straight weeks during the regular season.
>> 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 65 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 65 polls. 
>> The Hawks spent 14 straight weeks in the top-5 during the 2018-19 season, including a 3-week run at No. 1. 

HAWKS DEBUT AT NO. 8 IN REGIONAL RANKINGS
>> IUP debuted at No. 8 in the Atlantic Region rankings released Wednesday by the NCAA Selection Committee.
>> It's the first of three in-season ranking releases before the Division II field of 64 is announced March 6. 
>> IUP is looking to clinch its 7th NCAA tournament appearance since 2015. 

16 STRAIGHT PSAC TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
>> IUP clinched the program's 16th straight PSAC tournament berth after the Slippery Rock win on Feb. 14. 
>> It's the second longest active streak in the PSAC behind Cal U's 21 straight. 
>> IUP HC Tom McConnell has a 13-5 record in the PSAC tournament including titles in 2017 and 2019.
>> IUP's 6 conference championships are tied with Cal U and Shippensburg for the most in PSAC history.

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 while 10 Hawks have played in at least 19. 
>> Three Hawks average double-figures while five average 6.6 PPG for for the PSAC's 4th-ranked scoring offense. 
>> Seven players have led IUP 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 4th in the PSAC and rank 23rd in Division II with 56.5 points allowed this season.
>> They have held opponents to 60 or fewer points 15 times in 25 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 18th in Division II in defensive field goal percentage (.352). 
>> 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 12th in the PSAC with 7.8 steals per game. They've had double-digit steals seven times, including a season-high 18 against Mount Aloysius. 

WINNING THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
>> The Hawks lead the PSAC and rank 31st in Division II with +7.0 rebound margin.
>> They've won the battle of the boards 19 times in their 25 games, including 13 times in 19 PSAC games.
>> They are 16-3 when winning the rebound battle.
>> IUP's 38.7 rebounds per game is 5th in the PSAC.
>> Seven players have led IUP in rebounding this year.

ALWAYS LOOKING TO HELP
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC with 14.3 assists per game.
>> IUP has assisted on 55.0 pct of its 651 made buckets.
>> The Hawks have dished out double-digit assists in 23 of 25 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.
>> Nine players have double-digit assists, including seven with 27 or more assists. 

KNOCKING THEM DOWN
>> IUP is 1st in the PSAC and 23rd in Division II in field goal percentage at 45.1 pct. 
>> 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 17-4 this year when shooting better from the field than its opponent. 1-3 when shooting worse.
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro leads the team with a 53.9 FG%.

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN
>> The Hawks are 5th in the PSAC with a 31.5 3FG%.
>> IUP's production has slipped of late, averaging 4.7 3s made with a 28.4 pct. (33-116) in the last seven games.
>> They had a season-high 12 3FGs made against Shippensburg (Dec. 19) and 9 against Edinboro (Jan. 26).
>> Despite missing six games, Sr. G Courtney Alexander still leads IUP with 48 made 3FGs. 
>> The trio of Alexander, Sr. G Justina Mascaro and Fr. G Kiera Baughman have combined for 119 of IUP's 148 made 3-pointers (80.4 pct.)

ALEXANDER HAVING BREAK OUT SENIOR SEASON
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has a team-best 50 3-point field goals and is 2nd on the team with 11.8 PPG. 
>> Her 2.63 made 3-pointers per game leads the PSAC and ranks 28th in Division II.
>> Alexander missed six games in January with an injury. 
>> She scored in double-figures in seven straight games before her injury on Dec. 19, averaging 18.9 PPG. 
>> Alexander is averaging just 8.4 PPG in 8 games since returning, but scored 24 points against SRU on Feb. 14.
>> Alexander has four 20-point games this year, including a career-high 31 points against Shippensburg.
>> 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. 
>> She is tied for 8th in IUP history with 146 career 3-pointers made (Lauren Wolosik, 7th, 150). 

MASCARO BRINGS CONSISTENCY
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro is averaging 13.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG and has 45 assists and 30 steals. 
>> In addition to leading the team in scoring, she ranks 3rd in the PSAC with a 55.0 FG%. 
>> She's led IUP in scoring 10 times and has reached double-figures 19 times in 25 games.
>> Mascaro has three 20-point outings, including a season-high 24 points, 10 made FGs and 4 made 3FGs against Gannon on Jan. 16.
>> She's shot at least 50.0 pct. in a game 15 times in 25 games, including a season-best 8-10 performance against Cal U (Jan. 31).
>> Mascaro heads into Saturday's game with 934 career points, including 763 scored (13.8 PPG) at IUP over the last two seasons (55 games).
>> Mascaro has scored in double-figures 40 times in 55 career games at IUP, including 12 20-point games.
>> She was a first team All-PSAC West performer in 2019-20, her first season at IUP.

FINK STANDING OUT
>> Jr. G Rajah Fink is 3rd on the team with 10.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 52 assists.
>> Since moving into the starting lineup on Jan. 16 (14 starts), she has been the team's leading scorer (14.3 PPG) and 2nd leading rebounder (6.6 RPG).
>> She was named PSAC West co-Athlete of the Week on Jan. 31 after averaging 19.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and 4.7 APG with a 56.4 FG% in three games. 
>> Fink tallied her first two career double-doubles against Edinboro (Jan. 26) and Mercyhurst (Jan. 29). 
>> She's reached double-figures in scoring 11 times in her last 13 games.
>> Fink has three 20-point games this year, including 21 points against Mercyhurst (Jan. 29) and SRU (Feb. 14).
>> Fink had a career-high 11 rebounds against Edinboro.
>> She came on at the end of her sophomore season of 2019-20, averaging 10.9 PPG with six double-figure outings in the final 11 games. 

KB MOVES INTO THE STARTING LINEUP
>> Fr. G Kiera Baughman is putting together one of the top freshman seasons in program history.
>> She has a team-best 59 assists and is 4th on the team in scoring at 9.9 PPG. 
>> Her 247 points is the most by an IUP freshman since Cathy Torchia's 369 (13.7 PPG) in 1989-90. 
>> She's started each of the last seven games, averaging 10.7 PPG and 4.3 RPG with a 40.9 FG% (27-66). 
>> Baughman posted back-to-back double-doubles: 15 points and 10 rebounds at Slippery Rock (Feb. 5); 16 points and 12 rebounds at Mercyhurst (Feb. 7).
>> She made her first start at Lock Haven (Feb. 2), hitting a career-high 19 points on 7-12 FGs and 5-5 FTs.
>> She's scored in double-figures 14 times this season, including 12 times in the last 16 games.
>> She's 3rd on the team with 29 3-pointers and 2nd with a 35.4 3FG%. 

D'ANNA PROVIDES EXPERIENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna is 5th on the team with 6.6 PPG and has a team-best 7.0 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 four games of 11+ boards.
>> She's converted at least half her shots in 14 of her 25 games, including 7-8 against Virginia State.
>> Her 1.2 blocks per game is 9th in the PSAC, getting a career-high 4 blocks against Virginia State.

ADAMS IS ANOTHER VALUABLE FRESHMAN
>> Fr. F Gina Adams started the first 19 games and has played in all 25 in her first year. 
>> She's averaging 5.6 PPG and had a season-high 16 points in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Adams is 4th on the team with 4.4 RPG. 
>> She had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Ohio Dominican.
>> She's shooting 46.7 pct. (56-120) from the field and has converted at least half her shots in 12 games.

 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 7 games and is shooting 50.0 pct (5-10), including 3-7 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.