#11/12 EDINBORO Fighting Scots (22-2, 18-2 PSAC West) at #9/22 INDIANA(PA) Crimson Hawks (23-2, 18-2 PSAC West)
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 5:30 PM | Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex | Indiana, Pa.
LINKS: LIVE STATS | AUDIO-WFSE 88.9 | VIDEOSTREAM-WATCHESPN
 
ADDITIONAL LINKS
EDINBORO: ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
INDIANA(PA): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
 
PSAC LINKS: PRESEASON POLL | STANDINGS | STATS

THE GAME STORY

• 11th-ranked Edinboro and 9th-ranked Indiana(Pa.) battle for first place in the PSAC West, and potentially the right to host the PSAC Tournament. In addition, IUP will celebrate Senior Night on Wednesday. The Fighting Scots are riding a nine-game streak, their second of the season, which began following a 74-68 loss to then third-ranked IUP.  The Crimson Hawks come in with a six-game winning streak.
• Edinboro and Indiana(Pa.) are both 18-2 in the Western Division, with the Crimson Hawks 23-2 overall and Edinboro at 22-2. California(Pa.) is third in the PSAC West at 16-4. The top two teams in the division will receive first round byes in the PSAC Tournament and host quarterfinal games on Wednesday, February 28. IUP can clinch first place in the division with a win over Edinboro.
• The Edinboro-IUP doubleheader has been added as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase. The contests will now stream on WatchESPN and the ESPN App. The doubleheader was chosen as part of the NCAA's and ESPN's flex plan due to the importance of both games.
• The initial NCAA regional rankings came out last Wednesday. Edinboro was third in the Atlantic Region, with Virginia Union first and IUP second. The top eight teams from each region qualify for the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the national polls, Edinboro is 11th in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and is 12th in the D2SIDA Top 25. IUP ranks 9th in the WBCA and 22nd in the D2SIDA polls.
• The Fighting Scots will make their ninth consecutive appearance in the PSAC Tournament, while the Crimson Hawks have qualified every year since the 2004-05 campaign. During Edinboro's run, the Fighting Scots have posted 20-win seasons each of the last eight campaigns. All told, they have gone 188-48 over the last eight years.
• Over their last nine contests, Edinboro has won by an average of 22.8 points per game. Last Saturday, the Fighting Scots grabbed a season-high 60 rebounds and held their third opponent to under 50 points with a 79-45 win at Clarion.
• Ciara Rosten posted her first 20-point and 20-rebound game of her career on Saturday at Clarion. She posted a game-high 27 points, 20 rebounds and blocked three shots for her 14th double-double of the season. Jontay Walton also scored in double figures with 20 points and a game-high three steals.
• On December 2, head coach Stan Swank became the all-time winningest basketball coach in PSAC history, after his then-560th career victory, an 81-54 decision at Mansfield. He passed Charles Chronister of Bloomsburg for the most wins all-time by a men's or women's basketball coach in the PSAC. In his 31 years at Edinboro, Swank has gone 576-303 overall and entered the year ranked ninth among active Division II coaches with 554 career wins.
• The Crimson Hawks allow the second-fewest points in the country at 52.1 ppg.  They improved to 14-0 at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex on Saturday with a 79-49 victory over No. 21 California(Pa.). IUP has currently won 19 straight games at home dating back to last year. The Fighting Scots picked up a win at the Kovalchick Complex a year ago, snapping IUP's 18-game home winning streak, 75-65. In his five seasons as head coach, Tom McConnell has led the Crimson Hawks to a 62-8 record at home.
• Edinboro is averaging 79.2 ppg., good for second in the PSAC and 16th in Division II. They are third defensively in the conference, allowing 58.7 ppg., and rank second in field goal percentage defense with a 34.8 percent mark. Indiana(Pa.) is scoring 75.0 ppg., ranking third in the conference. The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and are second in the country in scoring defense, giving up 52.1 ppg. They lead the PSAC and are fifth in field goal percentage defense (34.0 pct.).
• Michelle Jahn has moved within 23 points of 1,000 for her career at Edinboro. She would become the 27th player to reach 1,000 points. In addition, the junior guard has moved into the top five in career 3-pointers at Edinboro. She has made 180 three's, good for fifth place, and leads Edinboro in 3-pointers this season (48-of-140).
• Jontay Walton (16.8 ppg.), Ciara Rosten (16.2), Michaela Barnes (13.3), and Michelle Jahn (12.9) are all scoring in double figures. Combined, they are responsible for 59.2 points (74.7 percent) of the Fighting Scots' 79.2 points per game. Against Clarion, they combined for 58 of 79 points.

• The Edinboro-IUP game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9. Gabe Hypes will handle the play-by-play with Jacob Hart providing color commentary.
• The Edinboro-IUP doubleheader has been added as part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase. The contests will now stream on WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
• In addition, this year Edinboro is part of the PSAC Network. All men's and women's home basketball games will be streamed live through Stretch Internet.

• All-Time Series: Edinboro leads 49-43.
• First Meeting: 1970-71 – Indiana (Pa.) 62, Edinboro 48
• Last Meeting: January 13, 2018 – No. 3/2 Indiana(Pa.) 74, No. 14/22 Edinboro 68 at Edinboro, Pa.
• Current Streak: IUP has won two straight and eight of the last nine contests.
• Swank vs. Indiana(Pa.): 33-35

• No. 14 Edinboro and No. 3 Indiana(Pa.) combined for ten ties and 13 leads changes as the Fighting Scots suffered their first loss of the season at McComb Fieldhouse, 74-68. Neither team led by more than six points in the game.
• Trailing 14-12 after one period, Edinboro went on an 11-4 run to start the second stanza. The Fighting Scots claimed a five-point lead at 23-18 with 6:26 remaining until halftime.
• The score remained close heading into the fourth quarter. The two teams were tied at 33-33 at the half, and Edinboro trailed 53-50 going into the fourth quarter.
• Michelle Jahn connected on her second 3-pointer of the day to cut Edinboro's deficit to one at 60-59 with 5:24 remaining. Ciara Rosten scored Edinboro's next four points on a layup and jumper as the Scots took a 63-62 lead. It was also the Fighting Scots first lead since 46-45 at the 3:18 mark of the third quarter.
• Megan Smith's basket gave IUP the lead for good with 2:18 remaining, 64-63, and Halle Denman followed with a layup for a 66-63 lead. Rosten pulled Edinboro to within a point at 66-65 with 1:21 to play, but Carolyn Appleby scored back-to-back baskets for a 70-65 advantage with 38 seconds left. The Fighting Scots pulled no closer than three the rest of the way.
• Edinboro shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) from the field and made 4-of-14 on 3-pointers. IUP finished at 43.9 percent (29-of-66), going 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. The Fighting Scots converted 12-of-14 free throws and the Crimson Hawks went 14-for-16 at the charity stripe.
• Rosten led the Scots with 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting. The 6'2" senior forward also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, collected four assists and blocked two shots. Barnes put up double digits with 13 points and went 5-of-6 from the line.
• Three Crimson Hawks scored in double figures. Smith led IUP with 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting, to go with seven rebounds and two blocks. Appleby contributed 18 points and two steals, while Halee Denman scored 11 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots.
• IUP had an 8-2 advantage in blocks and edged Edinboro on the glass, 39-36.. The Fighting Scots turned the ball over 13 times and IUP 12.

• Stan Swank is in his 31st season as the Edinboro women's basketball head coach. He has led the Fighting Scots to eight straight 20-win seasons and nine straight PSAC Tournament berths. He has compiled a 188-48 overall record during this period. In total, Swank has had 14 20-win seasons as Edinboro's head coach.
• Swank is the all-time leader in victories among PSAC men's and women's coaches with 576 wins. He entered the campaign with 554 wins, which was the most wins by a women's basketball coach in PSAC history. He then passed former Bloomsburg men's basketball coach Charles Chronister for the men's title in Edinboro's 81-54 triumph at Mansfield.
• Entering the 2017-18 season, Swank ranked ninth among active Division II with 554 wins at Edinboro and 41st in the NCAA. As a program, Edinboro ranked 13th all-time in Division II with 779 wins. Over the last five years, he has coached the Scots to a .733 winning percentage, which is 25th in Division II. Swank also ranked 38th in Division II history with a .648 winning percentage.
• In his 31 years at Edinboro, he has led the Fighting Scots to four PSAC championship titles, and ten appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament. During March Madness, the Fighting Scots have made two Elite Eight appearances, three Sweet Sixteen births, and have made the Round of 32 on four occasions.

• Head coach Tom McConnell is in his fifth season at the helm of the Crimson Hawks. He has guided IUP to the PSAC and NCAA Tournaments in all four years with the program.
• McConnell has led the Crimson Hawks to four consecutive 20-win seasons.
• Last season, IUP won its first PSAC Championship title since the 2008-09 season, as they defeated California(Pa.), 84-79, in the finals at Shippensburg.
• Prior to his arrival at 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.

• Edinboro, 22-2 overall and 18-2 in the PSAC West, aims to capture the top seed in the PSAC West on Wednesday with a win at Indiana(Pa.). To do so, the Fighting Scots must defeat IUP on Wednesday. The two are currently tied for first place in the division with 18-2 records, with the Crimson Hawks owning a win over Edinboro. The Fighting Scots wrap up the 2017-18 regular season hosting a Mercyhurst team which has defeated both IUP and California(Pa.) this season on Saturday.
• Since falling in a 74-68 decision to IUP on January 13, Edinboro has won its last nine contests. That ties the team's longest winning streak of the season, as they won their first nine games of the year. Edinboro has also won its last six road games.
• The NCAA released the Division II Regional rankings on Wednesday. Edinboro was third in the Atlantic Region, with Virginia Union first and IUP second. The top eight teams from each region will qualify for the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the national polls, Edinboro is 11th in the WBCA Division II Top 25 and is 12th in the D2SIDA Top 25.
• Edinboro has posted 20-win seasons each of the last eight years, going a combined 188-48 overall. During that span, they have made four NCAA Tournament appearances, one Elite Eight appearance, and two Atlantic Regional Championship berths. The Fighting Scots have also won three PSAC Championship titles during that stretch, and will be appearing in their ninth straight PSAC Tournament.
• Edinboro is averaging 79.2 ppg., which is second in the PSAC and 16th in Division II. Defensively, they are allowing 58.7 ppg., good for third in the conference. Opposing teams have been held to a 34.8 percent clip, which ranks second in the conference and ninth in the country.
• The Fighting Scots have allowed less than 70 points in nine straight contests and 12 of the last 13. Last Saturday, Edinboro defeated Clarion, 79-45. The 45 points allowed to Clarion is the second-fewest points a team has scored against Edinboro. It's also the third time a team has scored under 50 points against the Fighting Scots and the second time in two weeks. The Scots are winning by an average of 20.5 ppg., which is second in the PSAC and sixth nationally.
• Edinboro ranks second in the PSAC and 13th in the country in turnover margin ( 6.3). The Fighting Scots average 13.7 turnovers a game, which is second in the conference. They also stand second in the PSAC in rebounding margin at 5.3.
• The Fighting Scots are one of the top three-point shooting teams in the PSAC. They are second in both 3-point field goal percentage (36.0 pct.) and are tied for third in 3-pointers made per game (7.1).
• Stan Swank is the winningest basketball coach in PSAC history. In December, he picked up his then 560th career victory over Mansfield, 81-54. In the win, he passed Charles Chronister of Bloomsburg for the most wins all-time by a men's or women's basketball coach in the PSAC. In his 31 years at Edinboro, Swank has gone 576-303 overall and entered the year ranked ninth among active Division II coaches with 554 career wins.
• In Edinboro's 79-45 win at Clarion, the Fighting Scots brought down a season-high 60 rebounds. Ciara Rosten and Whitney Allen each grabbed double-digit boards with 20 and 11 rebounds, respectively. Rosten led all players with 27 points on 11-of-20, making 5-of-6 at the line, for her 14th double-double of the year. It's also the first time the 6'2" forward has posted 20 points and 20 rebounds in a contest. She also blocked three shots, extending her streak of at least two blocks to 23 consecutive games.
• Ciara Rosten recently set Edinboro's season record for blocks shots, and currently has 94. She leads the PSAC and ranks fifth in the country in blocked shots per game (3.9), and is fourth nationally in total blocks. In just two seasons, Rosten has already climbed to third in career blocks at Edinboro with 145. The 6'2" senior averages 16.2 ppg., good for second on the team, and 11.8 rpg., which leads the PSAC and is seventh in Division II. She has recorded 14 double-doubles, tops in the PSAC and 11th nationally. She even ranks second on the team in assists with 75.
• Jontay Walton leads the Fighting Scots in scoring at 16.8 ppg. She ranks third in the PSAC in assists per game (4.3), assists (102), steals per game (2.7), and steals (64). The 5'5" guard has recorded a 2.06 assist-turnover ratio, which is tied for fourth in the conference. She has made 41-of-91 3-pointers. Against Clarion, Walton contributed 20 points and registered a game-high three steals.
• Michelle Jahn has scored 977 points, leaving her 23 shy of becoming the 27th Fighting Scot with 1,000 points. The 5'8" guard is averaging 12.9 ppg. Jahn is Edinboro's top 3-point threat with 48 in 140 attempts. She ranks fifth in career 3-pointers made (180) and is fifth in career 3-pointers attempted (507).
• After being named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2016-17, Michaela Barnes has broken out to average 13.3 ppg. after scoring 8.0 ppg. last year. The sophomore guard is shooting a highly-respectable 47.0 percent from the floor and has made 30-of-60 3-pointers.
• Whitney Allen has pulled down double-digit rebounds in four of the last five games. The graduate student forward is collecting 7.6 rpg. That includes a career-high 18 vs. Slippery Rock.

Scouting the Crimson Hawks

• IUP looks to remain undefeated at home on Senior Night against Edinboro. At 23-2 overall and 18-2 in the PSAC West, the preseason favorite in the Western Division has gone 14-0 at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex and owns a 19-game winning streak at home dating back to last year. They own a six game winning streak, winning by an average of 21.0 ppg. during that streak, and holding every opponent to under 54 points. IUP ranks 9th in the WBCA and 22nd in the D2SIDA polls.
• Tom McConnell is in his fifth season as head coach at Indiana(Pa.). He has posted a 111-32 record with the Crimson Hawks and has guided them to the PSAC Tournament and NCAA Tournament in each season at the helm.
• IUP ranks third in the PSAC in scoring offense, averaging 75.0 ppg. The Crimson Hawks are one of the best defense teams in the country, allowing a conference-low (52.1 ppg.), which is second in Division II.  They rank atop the PSAC and are eighth nationally in field goal percentage, making 47.1 pct. of their shots. IUP is holding teams to a 34.0 pct. clip in field goal percentage defense for first in the PSAC and fifth in Division II.
• In addition to being the top shooting team in the PSAC, the Crimson Hawks are one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, leading the PSAC and ranking 15th nationally, knocking down 37.0 pct. of their 3-pointers.
• IUP turns the ball over 13.8 times per game, for third in the conference. They are winning the turnover battle by 5.4 per game, fourth in the PSAC and 17th in the nation.
• In Saturday's 79-49 win over Cal, Megan Smith led IUP with a game-high 23 points, adding five rebound. Carolyn Appleby shot 7-of-12 from the floor and made 4-of-4 free throws for 19 points. Brittany Robinson added 10 points and led all players with eight rebounds.
• Megan Smith (17.3 ppg.) and Carolyn Appleby (14.2) lead IUP in scoring. They were joined as 2017 All-PSAC West second team performers by Lauren Wolosik. Smith is averaging a team-high 17.3 ppg on 47.9 pct. shooting. She is the top 3-point shooter in the PSAC, converting 44.4 pct. of her shots from long range. The 6'0" guard/forward ranks second in the conference in 3-pointers, having connected on 63-of-142 long balls, and is netting 2.5 3-pointers a game.
• Appleby is the only other Crimson Hawk averaging double figures a game at 14.2 ppg. She converting 42.9 percent of her attempts from the floor.
• Wolosik adds 9.2 ppg., and leads the PSAC with 119 assists and is dishing out 4.8 apg. Brittany Robinson is the Crimson Hawk's leading rebounder with 7.1 rpg. and also has a team-high 32 blocks.

NEXT FOR THE FIGHTING SCOTS: Saturday, February 24 vs. Mercyhurst – 1:00 p.m.