INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's basketball team (20-7, 14-7 PSAC) wraps up the regular season and celebrates Senior Day this Saturday afternoon against Pitt-Johnstown (12-15, 10-11 PSAC). Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Crimson Hawks enter the matchup after their most dominant performance of the season, a 92-41 home victory over Clarion on Wednesday. The Mountain Cats are also coming off a big win, upsetting Seton Hill 70-63 on the road. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks posted season-highs in field goal shooting (54.7 pct.), 3-pointers (12), rebound margin (+31), dished out 23 assists on 35 buckets, and had a season-low 8 turnovers in the win over Clarion. 
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander scored 25 points, making 9-12 FGs, including 7-9 3FGs. 
>> On Saturday IUP will celebrate the careers of four players on Senior Day - G Courtney Alexander, F Maura D'Anna, G Mikayla Lovelace, and G Justina Mascaro. 
>> IUP enters the final game still battling for PSAC tournament seeding. The Crimson Hawks know they will host a first round game Monday either as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed depending on Saturday's results. 
>> The Hawks will be making their 16th straight PSAC tournament appearance, the second longest active streak in the conference behind Cal U's 21 straight. 
>> IUP was No. 6 in the Atlantic in the NCAA's second regional ranking release. The next release comes March 2.
>> IUP is looking to split its regular season series with Pitt-Johnstown after falling to the Mountain Cats 63-60 on the road Jan. 24. Jr. G Rajah Fink had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists in the loss.
>> HC Tom McConnell is 14-2 against Pitt-Johnstown, including 8-0 at home with a scoring margin of +23.8.
>> The Hawks are 51-12 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season, including 27-4 at home.
>> IUP is 104-16 (.867) at home under McConnell, including 56-8 (.875) since the start of the 2017-18 season. 
>> The Hawks are 53-11 in February and March over the last five seasons, including 25-4 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 MOUNTAIN CATS
>> Pitt-Johnstown is 12-15 overall and currently 6th in the PSAC West standings with a 10-11 league record.
>> UPJ has clinched a spot in the PSAC tournament but is battling with Edinboro for seeding.
>> The Mountain Cats are 5-5 since beating IUP on Jan. 24, including wins over Gannon and Seton Hill.  

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 MOVE TO NO. 6 IN REGIONAL RANKINGS
>> IUP moved up two spots to No. 6 in the second Atlantic Region seed reveal by the NCAA Selection Committee.
>> It's the second 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 21 of the 27 games while all 15 have played multiple contests.
>> Three Hawks average double-figures while five average 6.7 PPG for for the PSAC's 2nd-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 3rd in the PSAC and rank 19th in Division II with 55.9 points allowed this season.
>> They have held opponents to 60 or fewer points 17 times in 27 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, 40 to Millersville and 41 to Clarion.
>> The Hawks are 2nd in the PSAC and rank 18th in Division II in defensive field goal percentage (.349). 
>> IUP has held opponents under 40.0 pct. shooting 10 times in the last 12 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 11th 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 17th in Division II with +8.3 rebound margin.
>> They've won the battle of the boards 21 times in their 27 games, including 15 times in 21 PSAC games.
>> They are 18-3 when winning the rebound battle.
>> IUP's 39.2 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 14.9 assists per game.
>> IUP has assisted on 56.5 pct of its 711 made buckets.
>> The Hawks have dished out double-digit assists in 25 of 27 games this year, including five games of 20+.
>> They tallied a season-high 25 assists against Mount Aloysius and 23 against Clarion.
>> 10 players have double-digit assists, including five with 51 or more helpers.

KNOCKING THEM DOWN
>> IUP is 1st in the PSAC and 16th in Division II in field goal percentage at 45.4 pct. 
>> The Hawks have knocked down half their shots in a game five times, including a season-best 54.7 pct. (35-64) against Clarion.
>> IUP is 19-4 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 54.8 FG%.

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN
>> The Hawks are 3rd in the PSAC with a 32.2 3FG%.
>> IUP's 6.1 made 3FGs per game is 5th in the PSAC.
>> IUP is coming its best 3-point performance of the year from deep, hitting 12-24 against Clarion (Feb. 23). 
>> IUP also made 12-34 3FGs against Shippensburg. 
>> Despite missing six games, Sr. G Courtney Alexander still leads IUP with 60 made 3FGs. 
>> The trio of Alexander, Sr. G Justina Mascaro and Fr. G Kiera Baughman have combined for 133 of IUP's 166 made 3-pointers (80.1 pct.)

ALEXANDER HAVING BREAK OUT SENIOR SEASON
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander has a team-best 60 3-point field goals and is 2nd on the team with 12.6 PPG. 
>> Her 2.86 made 3-pointers per game leads the PSAC and ranks 14th 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 10.7 PPG in 10 games since returning from injury, including 18.0 in the last four.
>> Alexander has five 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 7th in IUP history with 156 career 3-pointers made (Carolyn Appleby, 6th, 168). 

MASCARO BRINGS CONSISTENCY
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro is averaging 13.3 PPG and 5.1 RPG with 51 assists and 30 steals. 
>> In addition to leading the team in scoring, she ranks 3rd in the PSAC with a 54.8 FG%. 
>> She's led IUP in scoring 11 times and has reached double-figures 20 times in 27 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 16 times in 27 games, including a season-best 8-10 performance against Cal U (Jan. 31).
>> Mascaro heads into Saturday's game with 956 career points, including 785 scored (13.8 PPG) at IUP over the last two seasons (57 games).
>> Mascaro has scored in double-figures 41 times in 57 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 4.8 RPG, and is 2nd with 60 assists.
>> Since moving into the starting lineup on Jan. 16 (16 starts), she has been the team's leading scorer (14.4 PPG) and 2nd leading rebounder (6.3 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 13 times in her last 15 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 68 assists and is 4th on the team in scoring at 9.6 PPG. 
>> Her 259 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 nine games, averaging 9.7 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 18 games.
>> She's 3rd on the team with 29 3-pointers and a 33.3 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 7.2 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 five games of 11+ boards and is averaging 8.6 RGP over her last seven games.
>> She's converted at least half her shots in 15 of her 27 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 1.1 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 27 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 46.4 pct. (58-125) from the field and has converted at least half her shots in 13 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.