INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP women's basketball squad hits the road for a Saturday afternoon matchup with Edinboro on February 17. Tipoff from the McComb Fieldhouse is set for 1:00 p.m.
 
Live coverage will be provided on the PSAC Digital Network. Additionally, the game will be aired live on U92.5FM and u92radio.com with the Voice of the Hawks, Jack Benedict.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL  
IUP (17-5, 13-4 PSAC) at Edinboro (14-9, 12-6 PSAC)  
Saturday, February 17, 2024 – 1:00 p.m. – McComb Fieldhouse – Edinboro, Pa.   
Game Coverage: Live Video — Live Stats — Live Audio
Social Media Updates: @IUP_WBB on X (formerly Twitter)
 
TIPOFF NEWS AND NOTES  

• IUP went 12-for-12 at the foul line, using some timely shots at the charity stripe to hold off Pitt-Johnstown in a 69-63 victory last time out against the Mountain Cats. It marked a victory in the 50th game of head coach Craig Carey's tenure with the Crimson Hawks.
• Nyshae' Weaver posted a career-high 28 points (12-14 FG) to go along with 13 rebounds as IUP held a big advantage in the paint. For the game, the Crimson Hawks held a 36-27 edge in rebounding and a 36-20 margin in paint points.
• Weaver's 28 points are two more than her previous career high of 26, set in her freshman year at Alderson Broaddus against West Virginia State (2/16/22).
• Kiera Baughman and Rahmena Henderson added 13 points apiece for IUP, which shot 49.1% for the game and forced 15 turnovers on the night.
• Weaver continues to lead the conference and Atlantic Region with 9.2 rebounds/game.
• IUP enters the weekend in second place in a compacted PSAC Western division. Despite 13 conference wins, the Crimson Hawks have not officially locked up a conference tournament berth.
• Seven of the nine conference teams in the PSAC West have at least nine conference wins or more this season. The number two-six spots in the standings are separated by just three games with all divisional games remaining for the rest of the season.
• IUP is 91-26 in PSAC games since the 2017-18 season.
• Edinboro has regained its footing from a slow start in conference play, winning five of the last six games. The Fighting Scots handed IUP its lone home loss of the season to date with a 70-69 victory at the KCAC back on January 20.
• Hayley Sims converted the go-ahead triple in the Edinboro win from the right corner, helping the Scots claim the victory against IUP in the opening meeting of the season.
• The Hawks lead the conference in steals/game (10.3) with Henderson second individually in steals/game (2.45).
• Grace Centrulla grabbed eight rebounds against UPJ, all on the defensive end to help the Crimson Hawks limit a potent UPJ offense.
• Edinboro has claimed four of the past five matchups against IUP since February 2022. The Hawks have lost their last two trips to Edinboro.

EDINBORO AT A GLANCE

• Edinboro posted a strong defensive effort of its own in a 63-49 victory against Mercyhurst on February 14.
• Hayley Sims paced the Scots with 22 points to go with five rebounds and two blocks. Ashten Boggs stuffed the stat sheet with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds as well as three steals.
• Sims ranks fifth in the PSAC in scoring average, posting 17.3 points/game.
•  The Fighting Scots lone loss since January 31 came to division-leading Gannon.

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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 154-27 (.850) 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)
  • 37 of their last 46 (37-9)
  • 53 of their last 64 (53-11)
  • 66 of their last 79 (66-13) since 2018-19

 
COACHING TIES FOR CRAIG CAREY

• Head coach Craig Carey (35-15 record) was named the program's head coach full-time 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, playing a large role in the team's success this season that included a six-game winning streak earlier in the year.
• IUP is now fifth in the league in scoring defense (57.0), good for 25th nationally. Additionally, IUP is forcing opponents into an average of 19.1 turnovers per game, good for fourth in the league. IUP is first in the PSAC in steals/game (10.3).
• The Crimson Hawks have held five opponents to 50 points or less in 2023-24.

 
HOW MAY I ASSIST YOU?

• IUP is third in the conference in assists/game, handing out an average of 14.7 per contest. 
• Maria Cerro is 7th in the league with 3.2 assists/game, while seven players have 20+ assists this season for the Hawks.
• As a team, IUP has dealt out 20 or more assists in four contests this season.

 
A TEAM EFFORT IN THE REBOUNDING DEPARTMENT

• IUP is fourth in the PSAC and 36th nationally with a +5.7 rebounding margin.
• The Hawks are fifth in the PSAC in offensive rebounding (12.6) and sixth in the league in defensive rebounding (26.1).
• IUP has outrebounded its opponents in 15 of 22 games this season, including a double-figure edge in rebounds six times.

 
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 2.5 assists/game (56 assists). She boasts 930 career points on 38.9% 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 20 games for the Crimson Hawks. Her streak was snapped against Gannon on February 10.
• Henderson ranks seventh in the league in scoring (15.7), third in minutes (36.2), second in steals (2.4). She leads the team with 54 total steals.  
• She's played all 40 minutes 10 times this season.

 
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 +5.7, good for fourth in the conference and 36th nationally. The interior duo Grace Centrulla and Nyshae' Weaver both enter the week averaging at least 7.9 points/game.
• The Crimson Hawks are missing veteran forward Teirra Preston (injury), who left the game in the second half at Clarion on January 31. IUP has a tall task in replacing Preston's production, who's played in a team-high 109 games since 2018-19, boasting 647 points and 586 rebounds in her career.
• Weaver leads the PSAC in rebounds/game (9.2), making her first start at IUP at Mercyhurst in February. A key contributor that has stepped into the starting lineup, Weaver boasts six double-doubles this season and 10+ rebounds in 10 contests.
• Centrulla (Career: 96 GP, 1,056 Pts, 631 Rebs, 110 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 and is continuing to provide an all-around level of consistency.

 
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 105 career appearances and 78 collegiate starts, Cerro is returned to the lineup after missing the Hawks' crossover matchups on December 1-2. Working back into the starting lineup, Cerro posted a season-best 18 points (6-8 FG) at UPJ on January 17.
• Cerro ranked fifth in the PSAC in steals (61) as a junior in 2022-23, boasting 118 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 stepped into the starting lineup for several games 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. 

 
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Career Rebounds
16. 599 – Megan Smith (2014-18)
17. 586 – Teirra Preston (2018-Pres)
18. 579 – Adriene Douglas (1981-84)
19. 569 – Lisetta Boccella (1982-86)
20. 567 – Jacqui Martin (2000-04)
 
Career Three-Pointers Made
15. 113 – Amy Fairman (2011-15)
16. 111 – Kylie Miller (2005-09)
17. 109 – Kiera Baughman (2021-Pres)  
18. 101 – Molly Carr (1995-99)
19. 86 – Lisa Bendick (1991-95)
20. 84 – Kiley Nadwodny (1992-96)
 
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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