Edinboro Fighting Scots (9-5, 4-4 PSAC West) at Lock Haven Bald Eagles (5-7, 2-6 PSAC East)
DATE: Sunday, January 3, 2016
TIME: 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Thomas Fieldhouse
CITY: Lock Haven, Pa.
LIVE STATS: http://sidearmstats.com/lhup/wbball/
RADIO: http://streamdb4web.securenetsystems.net/v5/WFSE

GAME STORY
The Edinboro University women's basketball team rings in the New Year on a road trip to Lock Haven on Sunday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. The Fighting Scots will be playing in their first game since December 19^th following a break for the holidays.
 
Edinboro comes into the game with a 9-5 overall record and a 4-4 mark in PSAC play. The Fighting Scots have dropped three of their last four outings, most recently a 74-59 loss to Indiana(Pa.) on December 19^th. The Bald Eagles enter the contest with a 5-7 overall record and are 2-6 in the PSAC East.
 
Edinboro ranks among the leaders in Division II in several categories. The Fighting Scots are second in assists (246), sixth in rebounds (575), eighth in blocks (57) and 13^th in 3-pointers made (93). The Fighting Scots average 70.4 ppg., good for eighth in the PSAC, while allowing 65.1 ppg., which also ranks eighth.
 
Senior Aignee' Freeland ranks 15^th on Edinboro's all-time scoring list with 1,295 points. She also recently entered the top three in career rebounds, and is currently third all-time with 819 boards. Heather Gates (1,301) and Montique Wade (1,113) rank first and second, respectively. Freeland is also eighth all-time in career blocks with 97. She ranks 10^th in the PSAC in scoring (15.9 ppg.) and ninth in rebounding. (8.2 rpg.)
 
First-year Fighting Scot Katie Fischer continues her impressive start at Edinboro. The transfer from Mercyhurst leads the team and ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring with 16.7 ppg. Fischer also leads the PSAC with 6.3 assists per game and is second in the nation with 88 assists. She also ranks second in the PSAC with 35 3-pointers made and is fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (38.0 pct.). She ranks 11^th in Division II with 35 3-pt. field goals.

Michelle Jahn has emerged as one of the most dangerous 3-point threats in the PSAC, ranking fourth in the conference at 44.0 percent from beyond the arc (33 of 75). The freshman from nearby General McLane High School also ranks fourth in the PSAC with 33 3-pointers made.
 
Senior Lauren Hippo ranks among the all-time 3-point shooters in Edinboro history. She is ranked first all-time in 3-point percentage, shooting 41.5 percent. Although she has struggled to find her shot this season, shooting 28.4 percent (22-of-74) from beyond the arc, Hippo ranks sixth in career 3-pointers made (145) and ninth in career 3-pointers attempted (349). She has played a solid floor game for the Fighting Scots, with 42 assists and just 12 turnovers. She ranks fourth in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.50) and second in minutes played (506) while ranking 16^th in the PSAC with 42 assists.  
 
ON THE RADIO
The game will be broadcast on WFSE 88.9. Mike Fenner will handle the play-by-play duties with Josh Kaufer on color commentary.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Edinboro leads 53-24.
The Fighting Scots have won the last 12 meetings
 
Last Meeting: 2014-15 – at Edinboro 74, Lock Haven 50
The Fighting Scot posted a 74-50 victory for their 12^th straight win over the Bald Eagles. Edinboro used a 16-0 first-half run to enter halftime with a 34-17 lead. The Fighting Scots would lead by double-digits the rest of the way. Three Fighting Scots scored in double-digits. Aignee' Freeland led Edinboro with a double-double, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Laurel Lindsay totaled 17 points, while Lauren Hippo had 13. Nicole Johnson led all rebounders with 11 boards, including six offensive rebounds. Loren Kaiser led the Bald Eagles, scoring 11 points off the bench. She was the only Lock Haven player to score in double figures.
 
LAST TIME OUT
12/19/15 – Indiana(Pa) 74, at Edinboro 59
The Fighting Scots struggled from the floor in the 74-59 loss to the visiting Crimson Hawks. Edinboro shot a season-low 30.3 percent (20-66) from the field and failed to break 60 points for a second straight game. After a back-and-forth first half, the Crimson Hawks opened the second half with a 5-0 run and never looked back, leading by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter. Aignee' Freeland led Edinboro with 20 points and six boards. Michelle Jahn totaled 18 points, including 3-of-8 3-pointers.
 
12/30/15 at Lock Haven 68, Post 56
The Bald Eagles snapped a two-game losing skid with a 68-56 home victory over Post University. Lock Haven used a 10-0 run in the closing moments of the second quarter to take a 36-26 lead into the locker room. The Bald Eagles scored 20 points off turnovers and received 25 points from the bench. Rachel McDaniel led the Bald Eagles with 11 points, while sister Syvae McDaniel totaled 10 points. Lysa Mealing had a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards.
 
The Head Coaches
 
Edinboro: Stan Swank (Purdue '76, 522-288, 29^th year)
Swank is in 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 522-288 at Edinboro, and over the previous five seasons Edinboro had a 125-27 record.  The Fighting Scots seek their seventh straight PSAC Tournament appearance and have won three PSAC championships during that five-year span, the last coming in 2014. Swank entered the 2015-16 season tied for 12^th among 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.
 
Lock Haven: Jennifer Smith (Millersville '02, 67-151, 9^th year)
Smith is in her ninth season at Lock Haven. She led the Bald Eagles to their first PSAC playoff appearance in 24 years last season, finishing the year with an 11-16 overall record and 10-12 mark in conference play. Under Smith's tutelage, two players have reached the 1,000-point milestone, a feat which only 13 players have accomplished in school history.

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING SCOTS
 
PROBABLE STARTERS                                                                               PPG    RPG
F          13        Aignee' Freeland          6-3       Sr.      York, Pa.                     15.9     8.2
F          21        Nicole Johnson           5-10       Jr.      Pittsburgh, Pa.              1.8     3.8
G         00        Lauren Hippo             5-10       Sr.       Altoona, Pa.                 11.0    4.3
G           4        Katie Fischer                 5-7       Jr.      Ambridge, Pa.             16.7     3.9
G         14        Michelle Jahn               5-8       Fr.       Edinboro, Pa.              12.6     3.0
 
TOP RESERVES
F         12        Whitney Allen              6-1       Jr.        Dudley, England          3.5     6.4
G         11        Cheniya Sharpe          5-11     Fr.        Springfield, Va.            2.2     2.8
G         14        Lindsey Jahn               5-8      Jr.         Edinboro, Pa.              1.8     1.3
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aignee' Freeland (F, 6'3", Sr.) – a two-time All-PSAC West selection, Freeland joined the 1,000-point club as a junior, and ranks 15^th in career scoring with 1,295 points and third in career rebounds with 819. Freeland leads Edinboro in rebounding and is second in scoring, averaging 15.9 ppg. and 8.2 rpg. She ranks 10^th in the PSAC in scoring and ninth in rebounding.  Freeland also leads the Fighting Scots and ranks ninth in the PSAC in field goal percentage (51.6 percent). She has recorded four double-doubles this year, tied for fifth-most in the PSAC.

Lauren Hippo (G, 5'10", Sr.) – the 5'10" senior is one of the top 3-point threats in the PSAC and school history, ranking first in career 3-point field goal percentage (41.5), sixth in career 3-pointers made (145), along with ninth in career 3-pointers attempted (349). While she has struggled from beyond the arc this year (28.4 percent), she has 42 assists and just 12 turnovers. Hippo ranks second in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (4.56) and first in minutes played (468). She is fourth on the team in scoring, at 11.0 ppg. while making 23-of-81 3-pointers. She also ranks third on the team with 4.3 rpg. and her 3.0 assists per game rank second on the squad.

Katie Fischer (G, 5'7", Jr.) – the transfer from Mercyhurst is in her first season at Edinboro and is off to an impressive start as a Fighting Scot, averaging 16.7 ppg., good for sixth in the PSAC. In addition, Fischer leads the PSAC with 6.3 assists per game. She ranks fifth in the PSAC in 3-point percentage at 38.0 percent. Fischer ranks second  in the PSAC with 35 3-pointers made
 
Michelle Jahn (G, 5'8", Fr.) – the three-time PSAC West Freshman of the Week is one of the most dangerous 3-point threats in the conference. The General McLane High School product ranks third in the PSAC in 3-pt. percentage (44.0 percent) and fourth in 3-pointers made (33). She is third on the team in scoring, averaging 12.6 ppg. Jahn got back into double-digits in the loss to Indiana(Pa.) after failing to do so the previous three games. She totaled 18 points on a team-high 3-of-8 3-pointers.

SCOUTING THE BALD EAGLES
Lock Haven is coming off their first PSAC playoff appearance in 24 years after qualifying in the 2014-15 season.
 
The Bald Eagles are one of the best rebounding teams in the PSAC, ranking first in rebound margin (7.5). Lock Haven is led by senior Lysa Mealing's 11.9 rpg., which leads the conference and ranks tenth in the nation. The Bald Eagles rank 15^th in the PSAC in scoring offense (62.8 ppg.), while allowing 65.5 ppg. That figure ranks ninth.
 
Junior Mackenzie Livingston leads Lock Haven in scoring, averaging 10.8 ppg. Livingston ranks second in the PSAC in the free throws made (58), along with ranking fourth in the conference in free throws attempted (64) and free throw percentage (90.6)
 
PROBABLE STARTERS                                                                PPG    RPG
F            3        Lysa Mealing             5-11     Sr.        Altoona, Pa.                            9.1     11.9
F          21        Syvae McDaniel          5-10     Gr.      Plainfield, N.J.                        4.1      2.9
G         12        Mackenzie Livingston   5-7     Jr.      Blairsville, Pa.                      10.8       5.1
G         23        J.J. Hilliard                   5-7     Sr.        Bethlehem, Pa.                      9.9       3.8
G         30        Rachel McDaniel           5-8     Gr.      Plainfield, N.J.                      10.3       4.0
 

NEXT FOR THE FIGHTING SCOTS:  Wednesday, January 6, 2016 vs Bloomsburg