Mike Gallagher

Women's Basketball 1/12/2017 4:40:00 PM Matthew Brancato, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Streaking Scots Battle Hot Hawks for First Place in PSAC West

The two hottest teams in the PSAC will collide on Saturday night. The Fighting Scots and Indiana(Pa.) are currently tied for the Western Division lead and are the last two undefeated teams in conference play.
The Fighting Scots begin a three-game road trip fresh off an 83-54 victory over local PSAC West rival Gannon at McComb Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Edinboro has now won 16 straight home games in the friendly confines of McComb Fieldhouse, dating back to last season. That is the longest streak since the 2011-12 squad reeled off 18 straight at home.
The Fighting Scots will play six of the next seven contests away from home. Edinboro has scored over 70 points in every game at McComb Fieldhouse this season, but has done so just once in opposing team's gyms. The Fighting Scots average 79.0 ppg. at home and 66.4 ppg. on the road or at neutral sites. Like Edinboro, IUP is dominant at home. The Crimson Hawks are 43-6 at home in the past four seasons and have won 18 straight at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex dating back to last season.
The win over Gannon also represented the 14^th-straight victory for the Fighting Scots and the tenth in a row in PSAC play. Those are the longest streaks since the 2011-12 team won 24 games in a row, including 20 straight in conference play. The 14 straight victories is tied for the second-longest win streak in program history. Head coach Stan Swank's group also reeled off 14 straight wins in the 1989-90 season.
IUP also enters Saturday's contest riding a double-digit win streak. The Crimson Hawks have run off 12 straight victories, most recently a 61-47 win at Millersville on Wednesday night. The Crimson Hawks 12 straight wins are the second-most under head coach Tom McConnell.
Both squads rank among the best in the PSAC on both sides of the ball. Edinboro ranks second in scoring defense (56.8 ppg.) and third in scoring offense (73.5 ppg.), while the Crimson Hawks lead the conference and rank fourth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 52.1 ppg. IUP also ranks 11^th in Division II in blocks (81) and 10^th in defensive field goal percentage (33.5 pct.) The Crimson Hawks rank seventh in the PSAC in scoring at 70.1 ppg.
The Crimson Hawks have won five straight meetings with Edinboro. Prior to that stretch, the Fighting Scots were winners in the previous five.
The Fighting Scots have started 9-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2011-12 season. They finished that season 30-2 overall and 21-1 in the conference, as well as capturing the PSAC Championship and advancing to the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship.

ON THE RADIO

The Edinboro-IUP game can be heard live on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Joshua Kaufer on the play-by-play.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
EDINBORO VS. INDIANA
All-Time Series: Edinboro leads 48-41
First Meeting: 1970-71 – Indiana 62, Edinboro 48
Last Meeting: February 6, 2016 – Indiana 73, Edinboro 60 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)
After trailing by just one point at 33-32 at the halftime break, the Fighting Scots went ice cold in the second half as they fell to the Crimson Hawks. Edinboro shot just 25.0 percent (8-of-32) from the field in the second half, including going just 1-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Fighting Scots put up just 28 points in the second half, 11 of which were scored from the free throw line. Katie Fischer led Edinboro with 20 points and five assists. Aignee' Freeland added 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Lauren Hippo contributed 12 points. The Crimson Hawks shot 45.2 percent (28-of-62) from the field and connected on 11-of-22 3-pointers. Marina Wareham led IUP with 24 points, while Megan Smith and Zhane Brooks added 10 points apiece.
Series Notes: The Crimson Hawks have won five straight meetings with Edinboro. Prior to that stretch, the Fighting Scots were winners in the previous five.

THE COACHES
Edinboro: Stan Swank (Purdue '76, 547-294, 30^th year)

Head coach Stan Swank is in his 30^th year as head women's basketball coach at Edinboro.
Swank has guided the Fighting Scots to a 145-37 record the past six seasons, including six PSAC Tournament appearances, three PSAC Championships, three NCAA Tournament berths and a trip to the Elite Eight.
Winning is nothing new to Swank as he is the winningest coach in Fighting Scots history and has had 23 winning seasons during his 29-year tenure while compiling a 547-294 overall mark. Add in four seasons as the head coach at Parkland Junior College, and Swank has 651 career collegiate victories.
All told under Swank, Edinboro has reached the NCAA Division II playoffs ten times, with Edinboro qualifying for the PSAC postseason tournament 21 times. On ten of those occasions, the Fighting Scots have advanced to the championship game, winning the PSAC title in 1989-90, 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2013-14.
In the NCAA Tournament, Swank has guided the Fighting Scots to the Final 32 four times, the Sweet 16 three times and the Elite Eight twice.
Swank entered the 2016-17 campaign tied for 11th among active Division II coaches in wins with 533. That figure is tied for 22nd all-time in overall victories. He ranks 37th in active career winning percentage (.646). Swank is the longest-tenured coach in the PSAC and is also the all-time leader in wins among PSAC coaches.

Indiana(Pa.): Tom McConnell (Point Park '84, 76-25, 4^th year, 161-130, 10^th season overall)

Head coach Tom McConnell is in his fourth season at the helm of the Crimson Hawks. IUP made an appearance in the PSAC Tournament in each of his three seasons, as well as receiving NCAA Tournament bids in 2014-15 and '15-16.
McConnell has guided the Crimson Hawks to back-to-back 20-win seasons.
Under McConnell, the Crimson Hawks won their first PSAC West title since 2008 in the 2014-15 season and were ranked as high as fifth in the national poll.
Prior to IUP, McConnell spent seven seasons as the head men's basketball coach at St Francis (PA) and two seasons as an assistant women's coach at Division I Old Dominion

LAST TIME OUT
Edinboro: January 11, 2017 – Edinboro 83, Gannon 54 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)

The Fighting Scots overcame a sluggish start to pull away for their 14^th straight victory.
After an 11-0 Gannon run gave the Lady Knights the lead midway through the second quarter at 20-18, an old-fashioned 3-point play from Allison Thompson gave the Fighting Scots the lead for good at 21-20. Edinboro would outscore Gannon, 51-29, over the final 20 minutes.
Katie Fischer led the Fighting Scots, recording her first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 assists. Michaela Barnes added 13 points and Ciara Rosten and Michelle Jahn finished with 11 points apiece.
Allison Thompson finished with a career-high 10 points off the bench.

Indiana(Pa.): January 11, 2017 – Indiana 61, Millersville 47 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)

The Crimson Hawks led from horn-to-horn as they notched their 12^th consecutive victory.
The interior play of forwards Megan Smith and Brittany Robinson proved too much to handle as Smith and Robinson totaled 17 points apiece. Robinson also grabbed a team-high seven boards and blocked six shots.
The Crimson Hawks defense forced Millersville into 19 turnovers and held a 19-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
Despite a 37-29 disadvantage in rebounding, Indiana held a 20-9 advantage in second chance points on 11 offensive boards.

EDINBORO STORYLINES

The Fighting Scots have won 14 straight games since an 0-2 start to the season, including starting PSAC play with a 10-0 ledger for the first time since the 2011-12 season. That team finished the season at 30-2 overall and 21-1 in the conference, as well as capturing the PSAC Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championship.
Edinboro is tied for the PSAC West lead with IUP. Both teams are teams undefeated in conference play.
The 14-game winning streak is the longest since the 2011-12 squad ran off 24 in a row and tied for the second-longest streak in school history. The 1989-90 Fighting Scots also reeled off 14 victories in a row. The nine-game PSAC winning stretch is also the longest since the 2011-12 team won 20 conference games in a row.
The Fighting Scots rank second in the PSAC in scoring defense and 35^th in the nation at 56.9 ppg. The Edinboro defense has held opponents under 60 points in 12 of their 14 wins, including in eight of the past nine outings.
The Fighting Scots rank 11^th in the nation in turnovers forced (23.50) and sixth in turnover margin (+8.44). Edinboro has recorded at least 10 steals in all but four games this season. Edinboro's 199 total steals ranks second in the PSAC and seventh in Division II. In addition, Edinboro has forced the opposing team into 20-or-more turnovers all but twice.
The high-pressure Edinboro defense is complimented by a high-scoring offense. The Fighting Scots rank third in the PSAC in scoring at 73.5 ppg. Edinboro has scored over 70 points ten times, and hit 90 on two occasions.
All-PSAC West Preseason selection Katie Fischer leads the Edinboro offense from her point guard spot. A 2015-16 PSAC West second team selection, Fischer ranks 11^th in the PSAC at 14.9 ppg. The senior leads the team and ranks fourth in the PSAC with 77 assists and 37 steals. She is fresh off her first double-double of the season, totaling 16 points and 10 assists against Gannon. Fischer also ranks fourth in the conference with 37 3-pointers. In last Friday's victory over Pitt-Johnstown, Fischer scored her 1,000^th career point. The 5'7'' point guard scored 309 points as a Laker and has totaled 718 points in two seasons as a member of the Fighting Scots for a total of 1,027 career points.
Sophomore Michelle Jahn also ranks among the top 3-pt. shooters in the PSAC. Jahn ranks sixth in 3-pointers (34) and 3-pt. percentage (35.8 pct.). Jahn is averaging 9.8 ppg. and has hit a 3-pointer in all but three contests this season.
Junior transfer Ciara Rosten has scored in double figures in 10 of the past 11 outings, The 6'2'' forward has scored in double figures in all but four contests this season. She ranks second on the team with 10.7 ppg. and leads the squad with 6.6 rpg.
Led by the duo of Jontay Walton and Maggie Moore, bench play has been a huge advantage for the Fighting Scots this season. Jontay Walton is tied for fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 9.6 ppg. off the bench. Over the past six games, Walton is averaging 13.2 ppg. The 5'5'' guard also ranks second on the squad and sixth in the PSAC with 30 steals. Moore has registered 4.0 ppg. and 5.9 rpg. in 16.9 mpg. and provides a dependable mid-range game. Sophomores Cheniya Sharpe and Allison Thompson have also provided sparks off the bench. Thompson is coming off a career-high 10 points against Gannon. The bench has scored over 15 points in all but two games this season.

Edinboro Probable Starters

						PPG	RPG
F	15	Ciara Rosten	6-2	Jr.	Buffalo, N.Y.	10.7	6.6
F	21	Nicole Johnson	5-10	Sr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	4.7	5.3
G	2	Michaela Barnes	5-6	Fr.	Chagrin Falls, Ohio	8.9	1.8
G	4	Katie Fischer	5-7	Sr.	Ambridge, Pa.	14.9	3.5
G	20	Michelle Jahn	5-8	So.	Edinboro, Pa.	9.8	2.3

Top Reserves

						PPG	RPG
F	5	Maggie Moore	6-2	Sr.	Olean, N.Y.	4.0	5.9
F	32	Allison Thompson	6-0	So.	Erie, Pa.	2.5	1.5
G	0	JaVannah Jackson	5-4	Jr.	Cleveland, Ohio	2.3	1.3
G	1	Jontay Walton	5-7	R-So.	Buffalo, N.Y.	9.6	3.3
G	11	Cheniya Sharpe	5-11	So.	Springfield, Va.	2.6	4.3

INDIANA(PA) STORYLINES

The Crimson Hawks enter Saturday night's showdown as the only other team in the PSAC with an unblemished conference ledger and tied for first place in the West with the Fighting Scots.
IUP has run off 12 straight wins, each contest decided by double figures. The stretch is the second-longest under head coach Tom McConnell.
The Crimson Hawks are 43-6 at home in the past four seasons and have won 18 straight at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex dating back to last season.
Like the Fighting Scots, IUP boasts a team that ranks among the top in the PSAC in both offense and defense. The Crimson Hawks lead the conference and rank fourth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 52.1 ppg. IUP also ranks 11^th in Division II in blocks (81) and 10^th in defensive field goal percentage (33.5 pct.)
Offensively, the Crimson Hawks ranks seventh in the PSAC in scoring at 70.1 ppg., led by junior Megan Smith. The 6'0'' forward ranks ninth in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 15.6 ppg. Smith has scored in double figures in all but one contest this season and is averaging 19.7 ppg. over her past three outings.

Indiana Probable Starters

						PPG	RPG
F	4	Brittany Robinson	6-0	So.	Harrisburg, Pa.	8.9	4.1
F	42	Megan Smith	6-0	Jr.	Blain, Pa.	15.6	5.7
G	5	Carolyn Appleby	5-5	So.	Greensburg, Pa.	12.9	3.2
G	23	Halle Denman	5-7	Jr.	Beaver Falls, Pa.	4.2	4.0
G	24	Lauren Wolosik	5-9	R-So.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	11.5	3.6

UP NEXT

The Fighting Scots travel to Clarion on Wednesday, January 18, for a PSAC contest against the Golden Eagles at 5:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Aignee' Freeland: F; 6' 3"; Senior

#00 Lauren Hippo: G/F; 5' 10"; Senior

#4 Katie Fischer: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#20 Michelle Jahn: G; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#21 Nicole Johnson: F; 5' 10"; Senior

#5 Maggie Moore: F; 6' 2"; Senior

#11 Cheniya Sharpe: F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#32 Allison Thompson: G/F; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#2 Michaela Barnes: G; 5' 6"; Freshman

#0 JaVannah Jackson: G; 5' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#13 Aignee' Freeland
: 6' 3"; Senior
: F

#00 Lauren Hippo
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G/F

#4 Katie Fischer
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#20 Michelle Jahn
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: G

#21 Nicole Johnson
: 5' 10"; Senior
: F

#5 Maggie Moore
: 6' 2"; Senior
: F

#11 Cheniya Sharpe
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: F

#32 Allison Thompson
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: G/F

#2 Michaela Barnes
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: G

#0 JaVannah Jackson
: 5' 4"; Junior
: G

Edinboro University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Streaking Scots Battle Hot Hawks for First Place in PSAC West

Players Mentioned

#13 Aignee' Freeland

#00 Lauren Hippo

#4 Katie Fischer

#20 Michelle Jahn

#21 Nicole Johnson

#5 Maggie Moore

#11 Cheniya Sharpe

#32 Allison Thompson

#2 Michaela Barnes

#0 JaVannah Jackson

Players Mentioned

#13 Aignee' Freeland

#00 Lauren Hippo

#4 Katie Fischer

#20 Michelle Jahn

#21 Nicole Johnson

#5 Maggie Moore

#11 Cheniya Sharpe

#32 Allison Thompson

#2 Michaela Barnes

#0 JaVannah Jackson