GAME DAY CENTRAL
Edinboro (19-7, 15-5 PSAC West) vs. Slippery Rock (9-17, 6-14 PSAC West)
When:  February 22, 2017
Where:  Edinboro, Pa. –  McComb Fieldhouse
Tip-off:  5:30 p.m.
Live Stats: CLICK HERE | Live Audio:  WFSE 88.9 |
 
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Edinboro: Roster | Schedule | Stats | 
Slippery Rock: Roster | Schedule | Stats | 
 
PSAC LINKS: PRESEASON POLL | STANDINGS | STATS | ALL-PSAC

GAME STORYLINES

• The Fighting Scots look to regain some momentum heading into the PSAC Tournament with two games remaining in the regular season, beginning with a matchup against Slippery Rock on Wednesday. Edinboro has secured their seventh straight PSAC Tournament bid and earned the right to host a PSAC Playoff game. Edinboro is in a tie for third place in the West with Mercyhurst. California(Pa.) holds down first place at 19-1, with Indiana(Pa.) second at 17-3. The Fighting Scots have split the season series with California(Pa.) Indiana(Pa.), and Mercyhurst. The top two seeds in Division receive a first round bye.
• Edinboro is 1-4 in their last five outings and are looking to get back on track and get some revenge against The Rock on Wednesday night. Slippery Rock was victorious in the first meeting of the season, snapping a 16-game winning streak for the Fighting Scots. Since that win however, The Rock have dropped seven straight games, five by double figures.
• The Rock rank last in the PSAC in scoring defense, allowing 74.7 ppg. Over the past six games, Slippery Rock is allowing 79.8 ppg, including giving up 105 points against Indiana(Pa.). Edinboro ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring offense (70.1 ppg.), but are averaging 63.7 ppg. during the same seven-game span. After scoring over 70 points 11 times in the first 17 games, they have done so twice in the past nine games, both losses.
• Slippery Rock's Lexi Carpenter has missed the past five games due to injury. The PSAC's leading scorer, Carpenter was averaging 19.1 ppg. and scored a career-high 35 points in the first meeting with the Fighting Scots.
• The Fighting Scots rank third in the PSAC in scoring defense at 58.4 ppg. After giving up at least 75 points in back-to-back outings, Edinboro held Gannon to a season-low 40 points last Wednesday and Mercyhurst to just 56 points, their second lowest output of the season.
• After being outrebounded just four times in their first 18 games, the Fighting Scots have been outrebounded in six of the last eight contests.
• Edinboro is one win shy of their seventh straight 20-win season. Including this year, the Fighting Scots are 164-44 in the last seven years. Under head coach Stan Swank, Edinboro has recorded 12 20-win seasons.

ON THE RADIO

• The Edinboro-Slippery Rock game can be heard live on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Drew Patrick on the call.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
EDINBORO VS. SLIPPERY ROCK
All-Time Series:  Slippery Rock leads 53-45
First Meeting:  1967-68 – Slippery Rock 53, Edinboro 29
Last Meeting:  January 21, 2017 – Slippery Rock 69, Edinboro 58 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)
The Fighting Scots suffered a cold shooting game, ending 31.8 percent for the game, while seeing their 16-game winning streak snapped at the Morrow Field House. Edinboro never recovered after Slippery Rock jumped out to a 22-8 lead after one quarter. While The Rock was 8-of-15 from the floor, Edinboro was just 1-for-10. Despite battling foul trouble and eventually fouling out, Rosten led Edinboro with 16 points and six rebounds. Jahn, Michaela Barnes, and Katie Fischer each finished with nine points. The Rock's Lexi Carpenter finished with 35 points, making 13-of-16 field goal attempts, including all three 3-point tries. While Edinboro made 18-of-57 shots from the floor and was 19-of-27 from the line, Slippery Rock shot 43.9 percent from the floor (25-of-57) and was 15-of-22 from the line. The Rock dominated the glass, 47-30, offsetting a 15-9 advantage in turnovers for Edinboro.   
Series Notes: Edinboro has won 10 of the last 12 meetings. The Rock won the first matchup this season, snapping a 16-game winning streak for the Fighting Scots.  
 
THE COACHES
Edinboro: Stan Swank (Purdue '76, 552-299, 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 164-44 record the past seven seasons, including seven PSAC Tournament appearances, three PSAC Championships, three NCAA Tournament berths and a trip to the Elite Eight.
• Winning is nothing 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 552-299 overall mark. Add in four seasons as the head coach at Parkland Junior College, and Swank has 654 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 22 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.

Slippery Rock: Bobby McGraw (Tiffin, 33-48, 3^rd year)

• Head coach Bobby McGraw is in his third season at the helm in Slippery Rock after serving as the interim head coach during the 2014-15 season.
• During his first season as interim head coach, The Rock reached the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2005-06.
• Prior to McGraw's hiring, The Rock had won 25 times in their last 131 games. McGraw's squad has already won 33 games in under three full seasons.
• Before joining Slippery Rock, McGraw was an assistant for the men's basketball team at LaRoche from 2010-12. During his tenure, LaRoche recorded a 44-12 record and won an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship. 

 
LAST TIME OUT
Edinboro: February 18, 2017 – Mercyhurst 56, Edinboro 54 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)

• Mercyhurst avoided a fifth consecutive season sweep by the Fighting Scots, pulling out a slim 56-54 victory at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
• The Fighting Scots got off to a rough start to Saturday's contest, missing four of their first five shots, as well as missing a pair of shots from the charity stripe, leading to Mercyhurst jumping out to an 8-3 lead just under four minutes into the contest.  Katie Fischer was able to keep the Fighting Scots within striking distance, scoring ten points in the first quarter to keep the deficit at 15-13 entering the second quarter.
• Michelle Jahn gave Edinboro their first lead of the afternoon at 18-17 on a 3-pointer before a 10-2 run by gave the Lakers the lead again at 27-20, eventually leading to a 34-30 halftime lead for Mercyhurst.
• Trailing 52-47 with under three minutes to play, the Fighting Scots scored seven unanswered points to take a 54-52 lead with 57 seconds left to play.
• A pair of Steel free throws knotted the game up with 47 seconds remaining before an Emilee Norris free throw gave the Lakers a one-point lead at 55-54 with 10 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, the Fighting Scots turned it over and were forced to foul with five seconds remaining. Natalie Piaggesi went 1-for-2 from the line giving the Fighting Scots one last heave from half court that couldn't find the bottom of the net.
• Fischer led all scorers with 16 points before fouling out late in the contest. Rosten added 13 points and six rebounds while Jahn dropped in 11 points. Walton turned in her typical strong performance off the bench, finishing with 10 points and three steals
• Edinboro finished the contest shooting 31.0 percent (18-of-58) from the floor and was just 48.1 percent (13-of-27) from the free throw line. The Fighting Scots also turned the ball over 17 times. 

 
Slippery Rock: February 18, 2017 – Gannon 84, Slippery Rock 55 (RECAP / BOX SCORE)

• The Rock were outscored by the Lady Knights, 24-5, in the first ten minutes of the game and could never recover as Slippery Rock dropped their seventh straight contest, 84-55.
• C.C. Dixon scored a team-high 13 points for The Rock while Brooke Hinderliter added 11 points and four assists. Morgan Henderson also finished in double figures with 10 points.
• Lexi Carpenter, the PSAC's leading scorer, was sidelined due to injury.

 
EDINBORO STORYLINES

• The Fighting Scots recently clinched a PSAC Tournament appearance for a seventh consecutive season. This is the 22^nd time Edinboro has qualified for the postseason under head coach Stan Swank.
• Earlier this season, the Fighting Scots ran off 16 straight wins before seeing their streak snapped in a loss at Slippery Rock. The 16-game winning streak was the longest since the 2011-12 squad won 24 in a row and the second-longest streak in school history.
• Edinboro is in a tie for third place place in the PSAC West with Mercyhurst with a 15-5 conference ledger following a loss to the Lakers on Saturday. California(Pa.) holds down first place at 19-1, with Indiana(Pa.) second at 17-3. The Fighting Scots have split the season series with California(Pa.) IUP, and Mercyhurst. Edinboro wraps up the regular season with home games against Slippery Rock (Feb. 22) and Clarion (Feb. 25). The top two seeds in each division receive first round byes in the PSAC Tournament.
• Edinboro ranks sixth in the PSAC in scoring offense (70.1 ppg.) and third in scoring defense (58.4 ppg.). The Fighting Scots have scored 70-or-more points just twice in the last eight games. Edinboro has scored over 70 points 13 times and hit 90 points on two occasions this season. After giving up at least 75 points in back-to-back outings, Edinboro held Gannon to a season-low 40 points last Wednesday and Mercyhurst to just 56 points, their second lowest output of the season.
• The Fighting Scots rank fifth in the nation in turnover margin (+8.73) and 10^th in turnovers forced per game (22.65). Edinboro's 316 total steals ranks second in the PSAC and tenth in Division II. In addition, Edinboro has forced opposing teams into 20-or-more turnovers in all but seven games.
• After being outrebounded just four times in their first 18 games, the Fighting Scots have been outrebounded in six of the last eight contests.

 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Katie Fischer (G, 5'7'' Sr.)

• All-PSAC West Preseason selection Katie Fischer leads the Edinboro offense from her point guard spot. Fischer ranks ninth in the PSAC in scoring at 14.7 ppg.
• Has scored in double figures in four straight games.
• Ranks fourth in the PSAC with 120 assists and sixth with 55 steals. Fischer also ranks third in the conference with 60 3-pointers and sixth with a 33.3 3-pt. percentage.
• Recently scored her 1,000^th career point. The 5'7'' point guard scored 309 points as a Laker and has totaled 860 points in two seasons as a member of the Fighting Scots for 1,169 career points.

Michelle Jahn (G, 5'8'', So.)

• Ranks eighth in the PSAC with 53 3-pointers and seventh in 3-pt. percentage (32.1 pct.). Has hit a 3-pointer in all but four contests this season.
• Tied for third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.9 ppg.

Ciara Rosten (F, 6'2'', Jr.)

• Second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.7 ppg., and leads the squad with 6.6 rpg.
• Ranks fifth in the PSAC with 40 blocks.

Michaela Barnes (G, 5'6'', Fr.)

• Has started every game this season, averaging 8.8 ppg. and 2.2 rpg.
• Named the PSAC West Freshman of the Week three times.

Jontay Walton (G, 5'7'', R-So.)

• Tied for third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.9 ppg. while coming off the bench.
• Has scored in double figures 12 times.
• Leads the squad and ranks fifth in the PSAC with 56 steals.

 

						PPG	RPG	OTHER
F	15	Ciara Rosten	6-2	Jr.	Buffalo, N.Y.	11.7	6.6	47 STLS, 40 BLKS
F	21	Nicole Johnson	5-10	Sr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	3.5	4.5	25 STLS
G	2	Michaela Barnes	5-6	Fr.	Chagrin Falls, Ohio	8.8	2.2	30 ASTS, 27 STLS
G	4	Katie Fischer	5-7	Sr.	Ambridge, Pa.	14.7	3.4	120 ASTS, 55 STLS
G	20	Michelle Jahn	5-8	So.	Edinboro, Pa.	9.9	2.7	37 STLS, 20 ASTS

 

						PPG	RPG	OTHER
F	5	Maggie Moore	6-2	Sr.	Olean, N.Y.	3.3	4.9	20 BLKS
F	32	Allison Thompson	6-0	Sr.	Erie, Pa.	2.3	1.6	5 STLS
G	1	Jontay Walton	5-7	R-So.	Buffalo, N.Y.	9.9	3.0	56 STLS, 35 ASTS
G	11	Cheniya Sharpe	5-11	So.	Springfield, Va.	2.2	3.9	22 STLS

 
SLIPPERY ROCK STORYLINES

• The Rock have missed the PSAC Tournament for a second straight season, sitting in eighth place with a 9-17 overall mark and a 6-14 conference ledger.
• Slippery Rock has won just one game in their past nine outings and two in their past 14 games.
• Slippery Rock won the first meeting of the season with Edinboro, 69-58, snapping a 16-game winning streak for the Fighting Scots.
• The Rock rank last in the PSAC in scoring defense, allowing 74.7 ppg. Over the past six games, Slippery Rock is allowing 79.8 ppg, including giving up 105 points against Indiana(Pa.).

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Lexi Carpenter (G, 5'8'', Sr.)

• Former transfer from Division I Dayton.
• Leads the PSAC and ranks 18^th in Division II in scoring at 19.1 ppg.
• Has recorded four 30-point games, including a career-high 35 points in the first meeting with Edinboro.
• Has been sidelined the past five games due to injury.

Brooke Hinderliter (G, 5'9", Fr.)

• Has started in all but one game as a true freshman.
• Ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.3 ppg.
• Ranks third in the PSAC, making 104-of-129 free throws.
• Has been tabbed as the PSAC Freshman of the Week five times this season.

 

						PPG	RPG
F	2	C.C. Dixon	5-11	Jr.	Munhall, Pa.	8.8	5.2
F	14	Mallory Heinle	6-2	Jr.	Natrona Heights, Pa.	7.6	6.1
F	35	Morgan Henderson	6-2	So.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	6.5	5.5
G	4	Brooke Hinderliter	5-9	Fr.	Seminole, Pa.	10.3	4.7
G	12	Sierra Fordham	5-6	Jr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.	3.1	1.3

 
 
UP NEXT

• The Fighting Scots conclude the regular season celebrating Senior Day on Saturday, February 25 against Clarion. Edinboro will honor five departing seniors prior to the 1:00 p.m. tipoff.