Edinboro Fighting Scots (4-1, 2-1 PSAC West) at Virginia Union Panthers (4-0, 0-0 CIAA)
DATE: Wednesday, November 23
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Barco-Stevens Hall
CITY: Richmond, VA
LIVE STATS: http://sidearmstats.com/vuu/wbball/
 
GAME STORY
The Edinboro University women's basketball completed a three-game homestand this past week, going 2-1 in the three games. The Fighting Scots opened up the home campaign with an 83-66 win over Slippery Rock. On Saturday, the Fighting Scots came up short against Kutztown, 65-63, but were able to follow up with a win on Sunday over Mansfield, 95-61.
 
The Fighting Scots come into Wednesday's contest sporting a 4-1 overall record and a 2-1 record in the PSAC West. Virginia Union enters undefeated at 4-0 having just won its two previous games by a combined 63 points.
 
Last time out, Virginia Union beat Mount Olive, 95-67, in a game in which all five starters scored in double digits. With the win, the Panthers improved to 4-0, the best start since 2002-03.
 
This will be the first ever meeting between the two teams.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
First meeting between the two teams.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING SCOTS
 
Head Coach:  Stan Swank (Purdue '76)
Record at Edinboro:  517-284, 29^th year 
Career Record:  517-284, 29^th year
 
Swank enters his 29^th season as the head coach at Edinboro and ranks as the all-time winningest coach in PSAC history and is also the longest tenured. He owns a career record of 517-284 at Edinboro, and over the last five years Edinboro has a 125-27 record.  The Fighting Scots seek their seventh straight PSAC Tournament appearance and have won three PSAC championships during that span, the last coming in 2014. He enters the 2015-16 season tied for 12^thamong active Division II coaches in victories.  That figure is tied for 24^th all-time in overall victories. He ranks 35^th in career winning percentage (.645).  Edinboro finished with a 20-8 record a year ago, the fifth straight season with 20-or-more wins and the 11^th in Swank's career. He guided the Fighting Scots to a 16-6 record in the PSAC West, good for fourth place. Edinboro defeated Seton Hill, 68-53, in the first round of the PSAC Tournament before suffering a 71-63 loss to Indiana(Pa.) in the quarterfinals. The Fighting Scots qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the sixth straight year and 11th time in the last 12 years.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aignee' Freeland (F, 6'3", Sr.) – A two-time All-PSAC selection, Freeland joined the 1,000-point club as a junior, and ranks 21^st in career scoring with 1,170 points and seventh in career rebounds with 747. This past week, Freeland averaged 17.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg. In the two wins, she posted 19 points, nine boards and tied a career-high with four blocks against Mansfield and 18 points and nine rebounds in the win over Slippery Rock.

Lauren Hippo (G, 5'10", Sr.) – the 5'10" senior is one of the top 3-point threats in the PSAC, and entered her senior year ranked first at Edinboro in career 3-point field goal percentage (44.7 pct.) and ninth in career 3-pointers made (123), along with 13th in career 3-pointers attempted (275). She is also third in career free throw percentage (79.2 pct.). During the three-game homestand, Hippo averaged 16.0 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Her best performance came in the victory over Mansfield as she totaled 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-10 3-pointers. In addition, she dished out six assists and pulled down five boards.
  
Katie Fischer (G, 5'7", Jr.) – the transfer from Mercyhurst is in her first season as a Fighting Scot. She played in 17 games a year ago for the Lakers, averaging 6.9 ppg. and making 17 of 35 3-pointers (48.6 percent). Fischer is off to an impressive start as a Fighting Scot, recording double-doubles in two games this season. She proved to be a top-quality scorer this past week, averaging 19.0 ppg on over 50 percent (22-of-43) shooting from the field and beyond the arc (9-of-17) Her best performance came in her home debut as she totaled 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the victory over Slippery Rock.
 
Michelle Jahn (G, 5'8", Fr.) – the freshman emerged as a dangerous 3-point threat this past week. Entering the game against Slippery Rock with nine minutes left, the local product hit 3-of-4 3-pointers and added 5-of-6 free throws to total 14 points to help close out an 83-66 win over Slippery Rock. She totaled a team-high 18 points, with five 3-pointers against Kutztown. In her first career start, Jahn totaled 11 points and went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, including converting a four-point play. Jahn leads the Fighting Scots with a team-high 50 percent 3-point percentage. 

PROBABLE STARTERS

						PPG	RPG
G	4	Katie Fischer	5-7	Jr.	Ambridge, Pa.	16.0	5.8
G	14	Michelle Jahn	5-8	Fr.	Edinboro, Pa.	10.8	2.8
F	00	Lauren Hippo	5-10	Sr.	Altoona, Pa.	14.0	4.8
F	5	Maggie Moore	6-2	Jr.	Olean, N.Y.	7.0	6.8
F	13	Aignee' Freeland	6-3	Sr.	York, Pa.	19.4	8.2

OFF THE BENCH

						PPG	RPG
G	11	Cheniya Sharpe	5-11	Fr.	Springfield, Va.	2.6	4.2
G	12	Whitney Allen	6-1	Jr.	Dudley, England	2.4	5.8
G	14	Lindsey Jahn	5-8	Jr.	Edinboro, Pa.	2.0	2.0
F	15	Melanie Lindsey	5-9	Fr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	2.4	1.0
F	32	Allison Thompson	6-0	Fr.	Erie, Pa.	1.5	1.0

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Virginia Union is off to a fast start in 2015-16, winning the first four games of the season for the first time since 2002-03. The Panthers won back-to-back nail biters to start the season, starting with a 96-88 overtime win over Shepherd followed by a 73-72 victory over Pitt-Johnstown. They coasted in their next two games, winning by at least 25 points over West Virginia State and Mount Olive.
 
The Panthers have four starters that average in double-figures scoring wise. Kiana Johnson paces the Panthers, averaging 24.0 ppg and pulling down 6.3 rpg. Lady Walker averages a double-double per game with 16.0 ppg and is the team-leading rebounder with 12.3 rpg. Ashley Smith averages 14.3 ppg, while Rahni Bell averages 11.0 Taylor White provides a spark off the bench with 8.0 ppg and 8.3 rpg in a reserve role.
 
Head Coach: AnnMarie Gilbert (Cleveland State '14)
Record at Virginia Union: 4-0, 1^st year
Career Record: 98-64, 6^th year
 
Head coach AnnMarie Gilbert enters her first year as the Panther's head coach. Gilbert previously served as the head coach at Eastern Michigan from 2007-12, where she compiled a 94-64 record.  As head coach, the Eagles had three consecutive 20+ win seasons (2009-12) and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2012. All told, Gilbert has been involved in coaching in some capacity for over 20 years.

PROBABLE STARTERS

						PPG	RPG
G	3	Ashley Smith	5-5	Jr.	Bear, DE	14.3	3.0
G	4	Kiana Johnson	5-6	Sr.	Chicago, Ill.	24.0	6.3
F	0	Lady Walker	6-2	R-Jr.	Cleveland, OH	16.0	12.3
F	12	Rahni Bell	5-9	Jr.	Washington, D.C.	11.0	2.7
F	20	Jasmin Dancy	5-10	Sr.	Silver Spring, MD	4.0	6.7

NEXT:  Saturday, November 28 & Sunday, November 29 in IUP-Lodestar Classic (Saturday v. St. Augustine's/Sunday vs. Johnson C. Smith)