INDIANA, Pa. – IUP women's basketball looks to keep pace in a compacted Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western division with a trip to Greensburg for a matchup with Seton Hill on Wednesday, February 1. Tipoff from the McKenna Center is set for 5:30 p.m.
IUP (14-5, 9-5) got back in the win column last time out, knocking off East Stroudsburg for a 71-53 triumph on January 28 at the KCAC. The Crimson Hawks used a combination of efficient shooting and aggressive defense to handle the Warriors, shooting 66% from the floor in the second half while collecting 11 steals.
Seton Hill (13-9, 6-7) could not battle back from a slow start, falling to Mercyhurst by a 66-56 count last time out. The Griffins enter the week on the outside looking in regarding the conference tournament, just two divisional games shy of the four teams with a 9-5 conference mark.
GAME INFORMATION – SETON HILL
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- PSAC Composite Schedule: Here
- 2022-23 Stats: Here
- 2022-23 Standings: Here
TIPOFF NOTES
- IUP has posted wins in five of the last six meetings with Seton Hill, part of a 15-4 mark dating back to 2013.
- Maria Cerro dropped in a career-high 24 points (10-13 FG) for IUP in the win against East Stroudsburg. Alana Cardona did not miss a beat in her return to the lineup with 18 points and 10 rebounds, her seventh double-double of the season.
- The Hawks are 57-17 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season.
- Four of the five losses for IUP this season have come on the road.
- IUP had four players record at least two steals in the victory against ESU, including three for Teirra Preston. It marked Preston's second consecutive game with three steals for IUP.
- The Hawks are third in the PSAC in assists (14.6), field goal percentage (.433) and rebounding average (41.3).
- Kiera Baughman is 8th in the PSAC in scoring average (15.6) and assists (3.4), also providing a big boost on the defensive side of the ball this season with 37 steals.
- IUP looks for the season sweep after a 77-60 win against Seton Hill in the first meeting this season on January 4 at the KCAC. The victory over the Griffins marked the 11th straight win for the Hawks at the time, who placed five scorers in double figures.
- Baughman, Gina Adams and Jazmyne DeShields all had 12 points apiece for the Hawks in the first meeting against the Griffins.
SCOUTING SETON HILL
- After defeating No. 22 Gannon in Erie, Seton Hill fell to Mercyhurst by a 66-56 count on January 28. The Lakers led for most of the contest following a quick start, while Hallie Cowan paced the Griffins with 17 points.
- SHU finds itself right on the bubble of playoff positioning heading into another week of divisional play. The Griffins boast a conference mark of 7-6, good for seventh in the league.
- Seton Hill is just behind Mercyhurst (8-6) and a four-team cluster with a 9-5 conference mark that includes IUP, Cal U, Edinboro and Pitt-Johnstown.
- The Griffins rank second in the PSAC in three point attempts/game (24.7) and third in made threes/game (7.3).
- Christiane Frye (14.4) and Alie Seto (12.9) pace the Griffins in scoring average. Frye and Courtney Thomas each dropped in 13 points for the Griffins in the first meeting of the season with IUP.
IUP IN THE POLLS
- IUP is not listed in the latest WBCA ranking.
- The Hawks dropped out of the top 25 in the D2SIDA rankings. IUP elevated up to fifth nationally earlier in the season during the team's unbeaten start.
- IUP also dropped out of the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings following consecutive road losses last week.
- The Hawks begin a new week of PSAC West play tied for second in the division standings, picked fourth in the league's preseason poll.
IUP DEFENSE HAS HAD MOMENTS OF BRILLIANCE
- While facing some poor-shooting opponents early in the nonconference slate, IUP has been aggressive on the defensive end of the floor. IUP was ranked among the top 20 nationally in field goal percentage defense, but dropped to fifth in the PSAC at 37.8%.
- IUP ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring defense (61.6).
- The Hawks have held opponents to single digits in a quarter four times, with three coming in a blowout win against Rosemont.
- The Hawks are also averaging 9.1 steals per contest, seventh in the PSAC, while forcing 18.3 turnovers per game.
- The Crimson Hawks have held 15 opponents under 70 points and eight to 60 points or less.
IUP BEGAN THE SEASON WITH AN 11-0 START
- The Hawks have historically been no strangers to strong starts over the years, winning each of the initial 11 games during the 2022-23 campaign.
- IUP went 5-0 in the nonconference slate, marking the fourth unbeaten non-league start to the season over the last five years.
- IUP began the year with a program record 16 consecutive victories at the onset of the 1999-2000 season. More recently, IUP opened the season at 15-0 in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
- The Hawks improved on last year's 9-0 start with wins against Millersville and Seton Hill, moving to 11-0 on the season.
CAREY ADDS DEPTH WITH TWO DI TRANSFERS
- IUP has received almost all of the team's minutes from the starting five over the last several weeks. Hoping to add some additional depth to the roster, interim head coach Craig Carey welcomed a pair of mid-year Division I transfers to the lineup.
- Joining the program from Robert Morris, guards Jazmyne DeShields and Janeira Scott arrived in Indiana upon the conclusion of the fall semester.
- DeShields played in 12 games at Robert Morris in 2021-22, previously breaking the North Stafford High School single-season assist and three-point record as a sophomore.
- Scott was part of four consecutive Division 2 championships during her high school career as an All-State Second Team honoree.
- The duo made their IUP debuts at Millersville on December 30. DeShields banked in a triple and added a rebound in 10 minutes, while Scott posted three points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal in 10 minutes of action off the bench.
- DeShields posted 12 points (6-8 FT) with two rebounds and an assist to provide IUP with a spark off the bench against Seton Hill, playing 26 minutes on January 4.
- Scott saw an increase in playing time, making a difference on both ends of the floor against Gannon. In just her fourth contest of the season, Scott posted 17 points, two rebounds and three steals against the Knights.
CARDONA PROVIDES STABILITY IN THE POST
- Gaining valuable minutes throughout her career off the bench, Alana Cardona has stepped into the starting lineup and has emerged as a driving force for the Hawks on both sides of the ball.
- Cardona is third on the team in scoring (12.4) and second in rebounding (8.3), all while shooting 49.1% from the floor.
- After missing the Slippery Rock game last Wednesday, Cardona provided the hot hand shooting the ball against East Stroudsburg. She posted her seventh double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 boards, going 5-for-5 from the floor and 4-for-4 from beyond the arc.
- Cardona pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds, adding 10 points while playing all 40 minutes against West Chester. She continued her solid stretch at Millersville behind 11 points and 11 rebounds before point 19 points and tying a career-best 12 boards against Seton Hill.
- She enjoyed a career night with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds against Ohio Dominican on November 23. It marked the first 20-point outing of Cardona's career, who has started in 18 games this season.
- She was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week on December 6, her first weekly honor from the league.
BAUGHMAN PROVING PRODUCTIVE IN ALL AREAS
- Kiera Baughman continues to step up as a second-year contributor for the Hawks. She dropped in a career-high 24 points against Bloomsburg on December 3, later following it up with a new career-best 32 points at Millersville.
- Baughman leads the team in scoring average (15.6), ranks eighth in the PSAC in assists/game (3.4) and 11th in steals/game (1.9).
- She dealt out a career high eight assists against Seton Hill on January 4. Baughman registered her first collegiate 30-point scoring performance against the Marauders on December 30, 2022.
- Baughman recorded her second 20-point scoring outing of the season against West Chester on December 19, going 7-of-15 from the floor while adding three assists and three steals in 35 minutes.
- Making 11 starts last season in her collegiate debut, Baughman has taken the next step in her development this season. She collected 28 steals in 30 games last year and has 37 through 19 games in 2022-23.
- A consistent shooter in all areas, Baughman is also 72-for-87 (.828) at the foul line, ranking ninth in the PSAC in free throw percentage.
PRESTON LEADING THE CHARGE ON THE BOARDS
- With one of the top rebounders in the region, Teirra Preston has helped the Crimson Hawks become a stout rebounding squad once again in 2022-23, ranking third in the PSAC in rebounds/game.
- Preston is third in the PSAC in rebounding average (9.1), grabbing 10 or more in five outings. Cardona follows closely behind in 9th (8.3) along the low block for the Hawks. Preston grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against West Chester, tied for third most among PSAC players this season.
- Preston had a big second half last week at Slippery Rock, posting 14 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and a steal over the final 20 minutes back on January 25.
- The Hawks are first in the conference in defensive rebounds/game (29.1) and third in the PSAC with a +10.7 rebounding margin, tying into the strong defensive effort.
- Last season, IUP finished the campaign leading the PSAC and ranking 14th nationally with a rebounding margin of +8.0.
CERRO CONTINUES IMPROVING
- Maria Cerro has jumped to second on the team in scoring average (13.7) as a speedy guard.
- Cerro is shooting at 44.2% on the season.
- She is first on the team with an average of 34.8 minutes as part of the IUP starting lineup, playing 31 minutes or more in each game aside from the blowout win against Rosemont.
- Cerro fired in a career high 24 points against East Stroudsburg, her second 20-point game of the season.
- Cerro has posted double figures in 15 of 19 contests this season.
- Cerro is sixth in the PSAC with 2.1 steals/game, adding a season-best five at Mansfield on December 2.
- Cerro added 14 points and handed out nine assists in a victory against Mansfield on December 2nd. She continues her torrid offensive stretch with 20 points (7-11 FG) with four rebounds and seven assists in a victory against Goldey-Beacom.
ADAMS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
- Gina Adams has steadily improved after stepping into the starting lineup full time this season.
- Adams poured in a career-high 22 points against Gannon, marking his first collegiate 20-point outing. Since January 18, she is averaging 13.75 points over the last four games.
- The sophomore registered 19 points (4-9 3FG) against West Chester and added 15 more against Millersville (5-11 3FG).
- Adams has also been a consistent rebounding threat for the Hawks, posting five or more rebounds in 12 games. Adams pulled in a season-high 10 rebounds against Seton Hill on January 4, 2023.
DECADE OF DOMINANCE IN INDIANA
- From 2010-2020, IUP led the PSAC with 241 overall wins and 165 conference wins.
- IUP won four PSAC west regular season titles, two PSAC tournament championships, also making four PSAC title game appearances with 10 PSAC tournament berths during that span.
- The Crimson Hawks have seen NCAA excellence in the 2010s with eight NCAA tournament berths, two Atlantic region titles, two national semifinal game appearances, earning the top seed in the Atlantic Region in 2019-20.
- The Hawks' .793-win percentage marked the eighth best in Division II during that span.
