INDIANA, Pa. – IUP women's basketball hosts division-leading Gannon on Saturday, February 4 for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff from the KCAC.
IUP (14-6, 9-6) continues an up and down season, looking to bounce back from a 65-60 road loss to Seton Hill on February 1. The Hawks were within striking distance throughout the contest, but could not get over the top to take the lead back from the Griffins.
Meanwhile, Gannon (20-3, 12-3) has started to separate as bit as the top team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western division. The Knights are the first team in the league to reach 20 wins, knocking off Slippery Rock by a 77-63 score last Wednesday.
GAME INFORMATION – GANNON
AROUND THE LEAGUE
- PSAC Composite Schedule: Here
- 2022-23 Stats: Here
- 2022-23 Standings: Here
TIPOFF NOTES
- IUP starts another challenging stretch of games on Saturday, looking to avenge three of its conference losses in consecutive rematches with Gannon (Feb. 4), Mercyhurst (Feb. 6) and Pitt-Johnstown (Feb. 8). It's all part of a busy stretch run over the next few weeks, which includes three games in a five-day window.
- The Hawks have dropped six of their last nine conference matchups. IUP stayed within striking distance until late in the fourth quarter, unable to sustain a long enough run to pull ahead.
- Maria Cerro recorded a team-high 15 points, while Kiera Baughman and Gina Adams added 14 each. Alana Cardona was close to a double-double with nine points and 14 rebounds and Teirra Preston matched a career-high 16 rebounds against the Griffins.
- Gannon has won three of the last four outings with IUP, using a fast start to build an early lead in a 94-88 victory against the Hawks on January 11. The Hawks narrowed the gap throughout the second half, making things interesting down the stretch.
- The Hawks are 57-18 in PSAC West games since the 2017-18 season. IUP has been successful at home over the last several seasons, recording an 11-1 mark this year.
- Baughman ranks ninth in the PSAC in points/game (15.6) and eighth in assists/game (3.4), joining speedy guard Maria Cerro (13.8 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.25 spg) as catalysts in the IUP backcourt.
- Adams poured in a career-high 22 points (6-11 FG) in the initial meeting of the season with Gannon earlier this season in Erie, adding two rebounds, three assists and three steals. Janeira Scott was also particularly impactful at Gannon in the initial meeting, notching 17 points in 24 minutes off the bench with three steals.
- IUP has committed at least 15 turnovers in five straight outings.
SCOUTING GANNON
- Gannon, ranked 23rd in the WBCA poll and 15th in the D2SIDA listing, reached the 20-win mark on Wednesday with a come-from behind 77-63 win over Slippery Rock. The victory maintained a two-game lead in the PSAC West for the Golden Knights as they improved to 20-3 overall and 12-3 in the division.
- Gannon ranks first in the PSAC in scoring defense and 16th in Division II (55.7 ppg.) along with leading the conference and ranking 22nd nationally in field goal percentage defense (35.3 pct.)
- The duo of Bri Claxon (30) Emma Wright (28) had career outings, combining for 58 points in the 99-84 victory against IUP on January 11. Delaney Dogan added six blocked shots in the victory.
- Samantha Pirosko surpassed 1,000 career points at Gannon this season, notching 23 points in the team's victory over Slippery Rock. She is third in the PSAC in scoring (18.6) and just outside the top 10 in the league in rebounding (7.7).
- The Knights are 14-1 over their last 15 outings, with the lone setback during that stretch coming against Seton Hill on January 25.
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.
IUP DEFENSE HAS SHOWN FLASHES 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 earlier in the season, but dropped to fifth in the PSAC at 38.0%.
- IUP ranks eighth in the PSAC in scoring defense (61.8).
- 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 9.0 steals per contest, sixth in the PSAC, while forcing 18.2 turnovers per game.
- The Crimson Hawks have held 16 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 this season. 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 (12.3) and second in rebounding (8.6), all while shooting 47.5% from the floor.
- Cardona pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds at Seton Hill on February 1, marking her eighth outing with 10 or more boards this season.
- After missing the Slippery Rock game on January 25, 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 19 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 13th in steals/game (1.8).
- Baughman surpassed 600 career points in her 50th career collegiate game, coming February 1 against Seton Hill. She enters the Gannon game eight assists shy of 150 for her career.
- 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 20 games in 2022-23.
- A consistent shooter in all areas, Baughman is also 74-for-89 (.831) 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 (9.4), grabbing 10 or more in six outings. Cardona follows closely behind in 7th (8.6) along the low block for the Hawks. Preston grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against West Chester, matching that mark on February 1 against Seton Hill.
- Preston had a big second half last week at Slippery Rock in late January, 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 (28.9) and second in the PSAC with a +6.7 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 (13.8) as a speedy guard.
- Cerro is shooting at 44.1% on the season, good for seventh in the league.
- She is first on the team with an average of 35.0 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 16 of 20 contests this season.
- Cerro is sixth in the PSAC with 2.2 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 on the road against Gannon, marking his first collegiate 20-point outing.
- 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 13 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.
