INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's basketball team (19-7, 13-7 PSAC) opens the final week of the regular season with a home matchup Wednesday night against Clarion (5-21, 4-17 PSAC). Tipoff at the KCAC is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks bring momentum into the last week after Saturday's 58-54 home win over Seton Hill. The Golden Eagles have dropped five of their last six, including a 62-42 loss to Cal U over the weekend. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Jr. G Rajah Fink scored a game-high 19 points on 8-11 FGs and 2-2 FTs in the win over Seton Hill. She's averaging 15.5 PPG with 12 double-figure scoring games in her last 14 outings. 
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna had the go-ahead bucket and game-winning block with 20 seconds left. She stuffed the stat sheet with 8 points, 11 rebounds, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals. 
>> IUP improved to 6-1 in games following a loss this year and 14-1 since the start of the 2017-18 season. 
>> IUP has already clinched the program's 16th straight PSAC tournament appearance, the second longest active streak in the conference behind Cal U's 21 straight. 
>> IUP was No. 8 in the Atlantic in the NCAA's initial ranking release. The second release will come out Feb. 23.
>> The Hawks enter the final week fighting for positioning in the PSAC West standings. Cal U leads with a 15-4 league record, Gannon is 2nd at 16-5, Seton Hill is 3rd at 14-6, and IUP is 4th at 13-7. 
>> IUP is looking for its 7th regular season sweep of Clarion in the last eight years after a 67-51 win on the road back on Jan. 22. Fr. F Gina Adams had a game-high 16 points and IUP forced Clarion into a 35.2 FG%. 
>> HC Tom McConnell is 13-1 all-time against Clarion, including 7-0 at home with a +20.6 scoring margin. 
>> The Hawks are 50-12 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season, including 26-4 at home.
>> IUP is 103-16 (.866) at home under McConnell, including 55-8 (.873) since the start of the 2017-18 season. 
>> The Hawks are 52-11 in February and March over the last five seasons, including 24-4 at home and 28-7 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 GOLDEN EAGLES
>> Clarion is 5-21 overall and last in the PSAC West standings with a 4-17 league record.
>> The Golden Eagles are 2-8 since the first meeting with IUP, with wins coming over Slippery Rock and Mercyhurst.
>> Clarion is 2-11 in road and neutral site games. 

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks are not ranked in either major poll, falling out of the WBCA coaches' poll four 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 66 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 66 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
>> 10 players on the roster have played in 20 of the 26 games while all 15 have played multiple contests.
>> Three Hawks average double-figures while five average 6.7 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 rd in the PSAC and rank 23rd in Division II with 56.4 points allowed this season.
>> They have held opponents to 60 or fewer points 16 times in 26 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 (.350). 
>> IUP has held opponents under 40.0 pct. shooting 9 times in the last 11 games. 
>> 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 7.7 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 25th in Division II with +7.4 rebound margin.
>> They've won the battle of the boards 20 times in their 26 games, including 14 times in 20 PSAC games.
>> They are 17-3 when winning the rebound battle.
>> IUP's 38.9 rebounds per game is 4th in the PSAC.
>> Seven players have led IUP in rebounding this year.

ALWAYS LOOKING TO HELP
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC with 14.6 assists per game.
>> IUP has assisted on 56.1 pct of its 676 made buckets.
>> The Hawks have dished out double-digit assists in 24 of 26 games this year, including four games of 20+.
>> They tallied a season-high 25 assists against Mount Aloysius and 21 against Shippensburg and Seton Hill. 
>> 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 45.0 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 18-4 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 54.2 FG%.

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN
>> The Hawks are 5th in the PSAC with a 31.3 3FG%.
>> IUP's production has slipped of late, averaging 4.9 3s made with a 28.3 pct. (39-138) in the last eight 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 53 made 3FGs. 
>> The trio of Alexander, Sr. G Justina Mascaro and Fr. G Kiera Baughman have combined for 123 of IUP's 154 made 3-pointers (79.8 pct.)

ALEXANDER HAVING BREAK OUT SENIOR SEASON
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has a team-best 53 3-point field goals and is 2nd on the team with 12.0 PPG. 
>> Her 2.65 made 3-pointers per game leads the PSAC and ranks 25th 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 9.1 PPG in 9 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 8th in IUP history with 149 career 3-pointers made (Lauren Wolosik, 7th, 150). 

MASCARO BRINGS CONSISTENCY
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro is averaging 13.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG and has 48 assists and 30 steals. 
>> In addition to leading the team in scoring, she ranks 3rd in the PSAC with a 54.2 FG%. 
>> She's led IUP in scoring 11 times and has reached double-figures 19 times in 26 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 26 games, including a season-best 8-10 performance against Cal U (Jan. 31).
>> Mascaro heads into Wednesday's game with 941 career points, including 770 scored (13.8 PPG) at IUP over the last two seasons (56 games).
>> Mascaro has scored in double-figures 40 times in 56 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 ranks 3rd on the team with 10.5 PPG and 4.9 RPG, and is 2nd with 55 assists.
>> Since moving into the starting lineup on Jan. 16 (15 starts), she has been the team's leading scorer (14.6 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 12 times in her last 14 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 62 assists and is 4th on the team in scoring at 9.7 PPG. 
>> Her 251 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 eight games, averaging 9.9 PPG with four double-figure scoring games.
>> 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 17 games.
>> She's 3rd on the team with 29 3-pointers and 2nd with a 33.7 3FG%. 

D'ANNA PROVIDES EXPERIENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna is 5th on the team with 6.7 PPG and has a team-best 7.1 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 five games of 11+ boards.
>> She's converted at least half her shots in 14 of her 26 games, including 7-8 against Virginia State.
>> D'Anna leads IUP in both blocks (31) and steals (33).
>> She is 6th in IUP history with 114 career blocks (Sherri Leysock, 5th, 130)
>> Her 1.2 blocks per game is 11th 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 26 in her first year. 
>> She's averaging 5.4 PPG and had a season-high 16 points in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Adams is 4th on the team with 4.3 RPG. 
>> She had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Ohio Dominican.
>> She's shooting 45.9 pct. (56-122) 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 8 games and is shooting 54.5 pct (6-11), including 4-8 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.