INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball team hits the road to take on a nationally ranked opponent inside the top five, visiting Gannon on Saturday afternoon at Cathedral Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center for a 1:00 p.m. tipoff.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL  
IUP (10-2, 6-1 PSAC) at No. 3/4 Gannon (16-1, 8-0 PSAC)  
Saturday, January 13, 2024 – 1:00 p.m. – Hagerty Family Events Center – Erie, Pa.   
Game Coverage: Live Video (PSAC Digital Network) — Live Stats — Live Audio
Social Media Updates: @IUP_WBB on X (formerly Twitter)
 
TIPOFF NEWS AND NOTES  

• IUP is set for its second game of PSAC West play this season after controlling Mercyhurst in a 61-41 win at the KCAC on Wednesday, January 10 at the KCAC. The victory halted the Lakers' program-record 11-game winning streak as IUP employed another lockdown defensive showing.
• The Crimson Hawks open PSAC West play against the top two teams in the league standings. Gannon owns the longest winning streak of any team in the PSAC West with 13 consecutive victories, while IUP has won the last six contests.
• IUP owns a 26-22 all-time lead in the series with Gannon, but the Golden Knights have held the advantage of late as part of a strong run. The Knights have captured four of the last five meetings against the Crimson Hawks.
• Saturday features another matchup of top-caliber defensive teams in the PSAC. The top two scoring defenses in the conference will be on display, with Gannon entering seventh nationally (53.5) and IUP ranked 11th nationally in points allowed (54.8).
• IUP HC Craig Carey is seeking his first win against Gannon since taking over the program. The Knights were the only PSAC West program to sweep IUP in the two-game regular season series in 2022-23.
• Kiera Baughman dropped in a game-high 14 points with five rebounds in 28 minutes against Mercyhurst. Rahmena Henderson posted her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
• IUP has showcased a balanced approach on offense and defense during the team's recent winning streak. That balanced attack was utilized against Mercyhurst with six players posting at least six points for the Crimson Hawks.
• The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC in rebounding margin (+8.2) and steals/game (11.1), all part of limiting chances for the opposition. Henderson and Teirra Preston are tied for second in the league in steals/game (2.67).
• Nyshae' Weaver is averaging a double-double in seven conference games for IUP at 10.0 PPG and 10.1 RPG, shooting an efficient 50.9% from the floor in 22.9 minutes during that stretch. Weaver is second in the conference in rebounding average (9.1) and fourth in offensive rebounding average (3.7).
• Grace Centrulla adds another dynamic element to IUP's forward group as an inside-outside threat. Facing her former team for the first time earlier this week, Centrulla is within striking distance of 1,000 career points across her college career, entering the game seven points shy of the scoring milestone.  
• IUP has recorded an 83-23 (.783) record in PSAC games since the 2017-18 season.

 
 
GANNON AT A GLANCE

• With some players missing from the rotation, Gannon held on for a 90-76 victory at nearby Edinboro after a second half push from the Fighting Scots. GU went an impressive 33-for-36 (.917) from the foul line to preserve the victory.
• Head coach Cleve Wright is enjoying a strong run with Gannon in his second stint with the program, going 340-120 in 16 total seasons in Erie.
• Veteran Sam Pirosko (122 career games) ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 17.2 PPG and 11th in rebounding (7.2).
• The Golden Knights are first in the conference in scoring defense (53.5) and second in scoring offense (74.5) as a well-rounded team.
• Bri Claxon, who has had some strong games against IUP in the past, is second on the team in scoring (13.9).

 
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HOME COURT ADVANTAGE 

• Since the KCAC opened in the 2011-12 season, IUP has had an outstanding home court advantage to go along with a nationally prominent basketball program.
• IUP boasts a 150-26 (.852) mark in home games since the venue opened, not losing more than four home games in a single season during that span.
• At the KCAC, the IUP women have won:
  • 13 of 17 games in 2022-23 (13-4)
  • 33 of their last 41 (33-8)
  • 49 of their last 59 (49-10)
  • 62 of their last 74 (62-12) since 2018-19

 
COACHING TIES FOR CRAIG CAREY

• Head coach Craig Carey (28-12 record) was named the program's head coach on a full-time basis in 2023-24, serving in an interim role during his first season in 2022-23.
• Carey is the son of former longtime WVU head coach (and current UCF assistant) Mike Carey, a 34-year coaching veteran within the Big 12 Conference.
• Carey led IUP to an 18-10 record and a conference tournament berth despite arriving just before the season last year. The Hawks played six players for much of the season while using an up-tempo style for much of the year.
• Carey is a 2012 graduate of WVU, playing one season with the Mountaineer men's program before assisting his father with the women's squad.

 
IUP DEFENSE FORCING THE ISSUE

• With an aggressive style, the IUP defense has found a groove of late, playing a large role in the team's six-game winning streak.
• IUP is now second in the league in scoring defense (54.8), good for 11th nationally. Additionally, IUP is forcing opponents into an average of 20.3 turnovers per game, good for second in the league.
• IUP leads the PSAC in steals/game (11.1). Over the last six games, IUP has allowed an average of 52.3 points/game and no more than 63 points during that stretch.

 
BAUGHMAN RETURNS AS ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREE

• Junior guard Kiera Baughman returns for her second season as a full-time starter with the Crimson Hawks, earning All-PSAC West First Team honors in 2022-23.
• Baughman has been a consistent presence along the IUP backcourt, particularly over the last two seasons, averaging over 30 minutes/game since the start of the 2022-23 season.
• Baughman has become the key facilitator for IUP in 2023-24, averaging 2.9 assists/game (9th in the PSAC) and a team-high 35 assists. She boasts 817 career points on 40.1% shooting, logging a season-high 22 points at Goldey-Beacom on November 18. 

 
HENDERSON PROVING TO BE AN ALL-AROUND STANDOUT IN DEBUT SEASON FOR IUP

• Transfer guard Rahmena Henderson has quickly established herself as one of the top players in the region, joining the Hawks for her first season in 2023-24.
• Named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week on November 20, 2023, Henderson has posted double digits in each of her first 12 games for the Crimson Hawks.
• Henderson ranks fifth in the league in scoring (16.7), second in minutes (35), second in steals (2.6). She is tied for the team lead in total steals (32).
• She's played all 40 minutes five times this season and has found her touch from beyond the arc, converting at a 44.4% (20-45) clip from beyond during conference play. 

 
IUP FORWARDS BRING VAST SKILLSET

• IUP has a talented group of forwards that each provide a unique skillset and role on the team, helping the Hawks to a rebounding margin of +8.2, good for first in the conference and 18th nationally. The interior trio of Teirra Preston, Grace Centrulla and Nyshae' Weaver all enter the week averaging at least 8.9 points/game.
• Weaver (2nd; 9.1) and Preston (7th; 8.3) are each among the top seven in the conference in rebounding average.
• Preston is the veteran of the team, returning as a graduate student in 2023-24. She has played in a team-high 102 games since 2018-19, boasting 580 points and 532 rebounds in her career. Preston has nine career double-doubles (two in 2023-24) and is tied for first on the team in steals (32).
• Weaver has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in five of the last eight outings for IUP, providing a key option off the bench for the Hawks while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.
• Centrulla (Career: 86 GP, 993 Pts, 559 Rebs, 96 Blocks) gives IUP the ability to stretch the floor with an athletic inside/outside game, transferring in after three seasons at Mercyhurst for her first season with the Hawks in 2023-24. Centrulla handed out six assists with three steals in the win over ESU back on December 30.

 
CERRO PROVIDES TWO-WAY ABILITY AS AN EXPERIENCED GUARD

• Maria Cerro is the most experienced guard on the IUP roster, starting at least 18 games each of the past three seasons.
• Making 95 career appearances and 69 collegiate starts, Cerro is returned to the lineup after missing the Hawks' crossover matchups on December 1-2.
• Cerro ranked fifth in the PSAC in steals (61) as a junior in 2022-23, boasting 105 steals in her collegiate career. Averaging just over seven points/game for her career, Cerro has emerged as a dynamic two-way contributor for the Crimson Hawks.

 
JARRETT PROVIDES REINFORCEMENTS FOR IUP

• Much like Janeira Scott did last season, Macie Jarrett joins the IUP women's roster as a midyear addition, previously playing at Edinboro in 2021-22 and 2022-23. She scored her first points as a Crimson Hawks with a three from the right win against ESU on December 30.
• Jarrett made 52 career appearances at Edinboro, along with 15 starts. Averaging just under 19 minutes/game in her collegiate career, Jarrett registered a career-high 15 points against Salem (W.Va.) in November 2022.
• Meanwhile, Scott had stepped into the starting lineup of late and helps anchor an aggressive defensive approach for the Hawks.

 
ALEXANDER LENDING EXPERIENCE ON THE BENCH

• Former IUP sharpshooter Courtney Alexander returned to the bench midway through the 2022-23 season, joining Carey's coaching staff and returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach.
• Alexander made 100 career appearances as a student-athlete at IUP, spanning 2016-20 and 2021-22. She holds the program's single-game record for three-point baskets in a game, canning nine triples against Shippensburg in December 2021.
• Alexander scored 687 career points across her collegiate career, shooting 37.0% from beyond the arc. She was part of two PSAC championship squads, along with a regional title and NCAA DII Final Four appearance. 

 
FOLLOW  
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_WBB. 
 

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