INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP women's basketball team (16-5, 10-5 PSAC) returns home Wednesday with a key rivalry matchup against Cal U (14-4, 9-4 PSAC) at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks come home after a four-game road swing having won five of their last six overall, including a 68-51 victory at Mercyhurst Monday night. The Vulcans lost to Shepherd in West Virginia 76-66 Monday night. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Fr. G Kiera Baughman had her second straight double-double with 16 points and a season-high 12 rebounds in Monday's win. She's averaging 16.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG with a 52.9 FG% (18-34) over the last three games. 
>> The Crimson Hawks had four players reach double-figures in scoring for the first time since Ohio Dominican on Nov. 28. Sr. G Justina Mascaro also scored 16 points Monday. 
>> The Hawks have played seven of their last nine games on the road dating back to Jan. 19. They went 6-3 on that stretch, including 4-3 on the road and 2-0 at home.
>> Five of IUP's final seven games are at home, including three straight to end the season. 
>> The Hawks are 9-2 at home this year with an average scoring margin of +19.5. 
>> IUP HC Tom McConnell is 7-13 against Cal U, including a 4-2 mark at home over the last five seasons. 
>> McConnell and the Hawks defeated the Vulcans twice at the KCAC in 2019-20, posting a 68-65 overtime victory in the quarterfinals of the PSAC tournament. 
>> Cal U won this year's first meeting, 62-46 in California on Jan. 31. Sr. G Justina Mascaro scored 20 points. 
>> The Hawks are 47-10 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season. That record includes a 24-3 mark at home and a 23-7 record away. IUP is 5-4 against divisional teams this year.
>> IUP is 54-7 at home since the start of the 2017-18 season. 
>> The Hawks are 24-2 in February over the four seasons, including 3-0 this year.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VULCANS
>> Cal U is 14-4 overall and 3rd in the PSAC West standings with a 9-4 conference record.
>> The Vulcans are 4th in this week's D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings. 
>> Cal U is 5-3 away from this year with losses coming to Shepherd, Edinboro and Bloomsburg. 
>> The Vulcans are 3rd in Division II giving up just 51.4 points. The 76 points scored by Shepherd Monday was the most by a Cal U opponent this year. 
>> Cal U leads the PSAC and ranks 13th in Division II with 23.6 turnovers forced per game. 

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks are not ranked in either major poll, falling out of the WBCA coaches' poll last week.
>> 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 64 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 64 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 15 of the 21 games and average more than 8.0 minutes per game.
>> Six players average more than 6.3 points for the PSAC's 5th-ranked scoring offense. Three 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 3rd in the PSAC and rank 15th in Division II with 55.0 points allowed this season.
>> They have held opponents to 60 or fewer points 14 times in 21 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 17th in Division II in defensive field goal percentage (.348). 
>> 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 8.4 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 +7.9 rebound margin.
>> They've won the battle of the boards 16 times in their 21 games, including 10 times in 15 PSAC games.
>> IUP's 38.9 rebounds per game is 8th in the PSAC.
>> Seven players have led IUP in rebounding this year.
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna has a team-high 6.9 RPG and Fr. F Gina Adams averages 4.8 RPG.

ALWAYS LOOKING TO HELP
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC with 14.9 assists per game.
>> IUP has assisted on 55.1 pct of its 548 made buckets.
>> The Hawks have dished out double-digit assists in 19 of 21 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 24 or more assists. 
>> So. G Maria Cerro has led IUP in assists eight times in 21 games and has a team-best 51 dimes.

KNOCKING THEM DOWN
>> IUP is 1st in the PSAC and 26th in Division II in field goal percentage at 44.8 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 15-2 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 53.1 FG%.

FROM WAY DOWN TOWN
>> The Hawks are 4th in the PSAC with a 31.5 3FG%.
>> They are 5th in the PSAC with 6.2 made 3-pointers per game. 
>> 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 42 made 3FGs. 
>> The trio of Alexander, Sr. G Justina Mascaro and Fr. G Kiera Baughman have combined for 99 of IUP's 127 made 3-pointers (77.9 pct.)
>> 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 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. 

ALEXANDER LOOKS TO CONTINUE BREAKOUT
>> Sr. G Courtney Alexander made her return to the court at Cal U on Jan. 31 after missing six straight games due to an injury she suffered against Shippensburg.
>> She is 1st on the team with 42 made 3FGs, 2nd with 11.9 PPG, and 3rd with a 32.3 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 2.8 made 3FGs per game leads the PSAC and her 32.3 3FG% is 7th.
>> She scored in double-figures in seven straight games before her injuary, averaging 18.9 PPG.
>> Alexander has three 20-point games, including a career-high 31 points against Shippensburg.
>> She is 10th in IUP history with 138 career 3-pointers made (Eryn Withers, 9th, 141). 
>> Alexander has a 2.80-1 (28-10) assist-turnover ratio this year.

MASCARO BRINGS CONSISTENCY
>> Sr. G Justina Mascaro leads the team in scoring (13.2 PPG), is 3rd in rebounding (4.7 RPG) and is 4th in assists (38).
>> She's led IUP in scoring eight times and has reached double-figures 16 times in 21 games.
>> Mascaro hit season-highs of 24 points, 10 made FGs and 4 made 3FGs against Gannon on Jan. 16.
>> She also scored 20 points at Cal U on Jan. 31.
>> Mascaro ranks 4th in the PSAC with a 53.1 FG%.
>> She's shot at least 50.0 pct. in a game 12 times in 21 games, including a season-best 8-10 performance against Cal U (Jan. 31).
>> Mascaro heads into Wednesday's game with 875 career points, including 704 scored (13.8 PPG) at IUP over the last two seasons. 
>> Mascaro has scored in double-figures 37 times in 51 career games at IUP, including 11 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 moved into the lineup on Jan. 16 with Alexander's injury and has started 10 games.
>> 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 averaging 15.4 PPG over her last nine games, leading IUP in scoring five times.
>> Fink has two 20-point games this year, including a season-high 21 points against Mercyhurst. 
>> Fink had a career-high 11 rebounds against Edinboro.
>> Fink also had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists at Pitt-Johnstown (Jan. 24).
>> 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 3rd on the team in scoring at 10.6 PPG while averaging just 21.0 minutes.
>> She's started each of the last three games, averaging 16.7 PPG and 8.3 RPG with a 52.9 FG% (18-34). 
>> Baughman has posted back-to-back double-doubles: 15 points and 10 rebounds at Slippery Rock; 16 points and 12 rebounds at Mercyhurst.
>> 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 13 times this season, including 11 times in the last 13 games (12.4 PPG).
>> She's 3rd on the team with 25 3-pointers and 2nd with a 37.3 3FG%. 
>> Her 50 assists are 2nd on the team.

D'ANNA PROVIDES EXPERIENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Maura D'Anna is 5th on the team with 6.9 PPG and has a team-best 6.9 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 11 of her 21 games, including 7-8 against Virginia State.
>> Her 1.3 blocks per game is tied for 6th 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 21 in her first year. 
>> She's averaging 6.3 PPG and had a season-high 16 points in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Adams is 2nd on the team with 4.8 RPG. 
>> She had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds at Ohio Dominican.
>> She's shooting 46.5 pct. (53-114) from the field and has coverted at least half her shots in 10 games.