Matt Durisko

Women's Basketball 1/24/2019 4:40:00 PM Chris Slack, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Fighting Scots Begin Four-Game Homestand on Saturday vs. Slippery Rock

The Game Story

Edinboro hosts Slippery Rock in the first of four straight contests at McComb Fieldhouse. The Fighting Scots snapped a two-game skid on Wednesday with a 92-45 win at Clarion. It was the first time in two seasons that the Fighting Scots had lost back-to-back contests. Edinboro ranks third in the PSAC West at 11-5 overall and 7-4 in the division and is ranked ninth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll.
Ciara Rosten became the 34th Fighting Scot to score 1,000 career points at Edinboro. A redshirt senior, Rosten entered the game with 992 points, just eight points shy of the mark. With 52 seconds remaining in the second quarter, she connected on a jumper giving her eight points in the game. She finished with 1,007 career points, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for a double-double.
With Michelle Jahn (1,269 career points) and Jontay Walton (1,113) already with 1,000+ points in their time at Edinboro, the trio become the first group of Fighting Scots with 1,000-or-more points to play on the hardwood together. In addition, with Walton scoring her 1,000th career point earlier this season, they become the ninth duo to reach 1,000 points in the same season.
There is still one Edinboro player chasing 1,000th career points this season. Michaela Barnes improved her career total to 963 points at Clarion. She contributed 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
Slippery Rock is fourth in the PSAC West, having gone 8-9 overall and 6-5 in the conference. The Rock suffered a 79-75 setback to Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday night. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Rock. who began the 2019 calendar year losing four straight.
Edinboro won both contests last season and has been victorious in 18 of the last 20 meetings. Head coach Callie Wheeler coached the Scots in a 74-52 win at SRU. Wheeler, who was the team's assistant coach last season, filled in for then head coach Stan Swank who was from the team due attending his father's funeral. Less than two weeks later, Edinboro made 13 3-pointers in a 94-61 triumph over the Rock in Edinboro. The 94 points were tied for the regular season-high, while the 13 baskets from long range was a season-high.
Slippery Rock's Brooke Hinderliter is on the verge of becoming the 13th player in SRU history to score 1,000 career points. A junior guard, she is five points away with 995 in her career.
A year ago, the Fighting Scots finished with a 27-4 record a year ago, winning the PSAC championship and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. Four starters return from that squad. All-American Ciara Rosten leads the way. The 6'2" senior was an honorable mention WBCA All-American, while also being named the PSAC West Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Rosten, Jontay Walton was a first-team All-PSAC West choice, while Michelle Jahn and Michaela Barnes were second-team selections.
Edinboro ranks second in the PSAC in offense, averaging 78.6 ppg., and is eighth in defense at 69.1 ppg. Slippery Rock has scored 69.1 ppg. for sixth in the conference, but ranks last at 17th in scoring defense, allowing 73.9 ppg.

On the Radio/Video

The Edinboro-Slippery Rock game can be heard on WFSE-FM 88.9, with Madi Gross and Sydney Dundon providing the commentary. In addition, the contest will be streamed live as part of the PSAC Sports Network.

All-Time Series vs. Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock leads 53-48
First Meeting: 1967-68 – Slippery Rock 53, Edinboro 29
Last Meeting: 2018-19 – Edinboro 94, Slippery Rock 61
Current Streak: Edinboro has won 18 of the last 20 meetings.
Wheeler vs. Slippery Rock: 0-0

Last Meeting
February 14, 2018 – No. 13 Edinboro 94, Slippery Rock 61 at Edinboro, Pa. - BOX | RECAP

No. 13 Edinboro made a season-high 13 3-pointers in a 94-61 win over Slippery Rock to boost their winning streak to eight straight games.
Edinboro would turn a close game into a comfortable lead with a 13-0 run between the first and second quarters for a 31-15 lead, holding The Rock scoreless for over 6 minutes, 22 seconds.
Edinboro went into the half leading 39-27, but SRU would cut the lead to six points on two occasions over the first four minutes. But that's as close as SRU made it the rest of the way. Edinboro pulled away for a 66-44 lead heading into the final quarter. With six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the Fighting Scots would lead by as much as 38 points.
The Fighting Scots shot 41.6 percent (32-of-77) from the floor, making 13-of-27 3-pointers, and went 17-of-26 at the charity stripe. Slippery Rock was held to 36.1 percent (22-of-61) from the floor, including 7-of-20 3-pointers, and went 10-for-19 at the line.
Four Fighting Scots scored in double figures with Michaela Barnes leading the way with 25 points, making 5-of-7 3-pointers. Michelle Jahn contributed 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jontay Walton added 17 points with six assists. Ciara Rosten went for 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks. Whitney Allen collected a career-high 18 rebounds.
Brooke Hinderliter led SRU with 14 points.

Head Coach: Callie Wheeler (Edinboro '06) -- 11-5, 1st year

Callie Wheeler was officially named Edinboro's fifth head coach on May 23, 2018, replacing long-time head coach Stan Swank. The former Edinboro standout served as Swank's assistant coach for the previous 11 years before assuming the head coaching duties. Edinboro enjoyed great success during Wheeler's 11 seasons at Swank's side, posting a 239-86 record in her 11 seasons on the bench. That includes a string of eight straight 20-win seasons, including last year when the Fighting Scots ended the season with a 27-4 record. Edinboro won its fourth PSAC Championship in her 11 years and went on to reach the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional semifinals. It marked the fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in her tenure as assistant coach, including a trip to the Elite Eight in 2013-14.
Any doubts of Wheeler's ability to take over as head coach were alleviated when Wheeler filled in for a pair of games in late January last year. With Swank away from the team for his father's funeral, Wheeler guided the Fighting Scots to a 74-52 win at Slippery Rock, followed by a 73-54 victory over a Mercyhurst team, which had defeated California (Pa.) in its previous game.
Wheeler played for the Fighting Scots from 2002-06, and ranks as one of the all-time greatest players in Edinboro history. She became Edinboro's sixth Kodak/WBCA All-American as she earned honorable mention All-American honors. That capped a brilliant senior season in which she was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and was a first-team All-PSAC West selection. In addition, she was selected as the Nancy Acker Award winner in 2006.
The 5'5" guard finished as Edinboro's second-leading scorer at 12.5 ppg. as a senior, and also added 5.1 rpg. More importantly, she set a school record with 249 assists while turning the ball over just 89 times. She led the PSAC in both assists and steals, finishing with 95 in the latter category.
Edinboro had had just one triple-double in its history prior to 2005-06 when Wheeler accomplished the fete twice. The first came against Seton Hill (20 points, 11 rebounds, 14 assists), followed by 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in her final home appearance vs. Shippensburg.
As a junior, Wheeler earned second-team All-PSAC West accolades, after averaging 10.4 ppg. and handing out 225 assists, along with recording 91 steals. The assists rank third all-time. She led the Fighting Scots to a 21-10 record that season, along with the team's first berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 1998.
Wheeler likely ranks at the top in a long line of standout point guards at Edinboro. While not taking over as the starter until her junior season, she concluded her career with 682 assists, despite missing the final seven games of the 2003-04 campaign due to an injury. That figure is second all-time in the PSAC. In addition, Wheeler finished with 283 career steals, a figure which ranks fourth all-time at Edinboro. She fell just shy of reaching 1,000 points for her career, finishing with 932.
The Iorfido name (Wheeler's maiden name) is well known in Edinboro Athletics, where her family has had quite an impact. Her father, Rich, was a standout linebacker for the Edinboro football team from 1970-72 and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in April 2007. Callie joined her father as a member of the Edinboro Hall of Fame in October 2016. Younger sister Mandie was a standout catcher on the softball team, and a two-time All-PSAC West performer.

Scouting the Fighting Scots

Edinboro turned in a dominating 92-45 win at Clarion on Wednesday to improve to 11-5 overall and 7-4 in the PSAC West under first-year head coach Callie Wheeler. The Fighting Scots are ranked ninth in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings. This is actually Wheeler's second time she has coached against Slippery Rock. A year ago, she guided the Fighting Scots to a 74-52 win at SRU as Stan Swank attended his father's funeral.
Ciara Rosten has battled injuries much of the season, but posted her fourth double-double of the season at Clarion and in the process reached a milestone. The 6'2" senior scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. She now has 1,007 career points in three seasons as a Fighting Scot. In addition, she has 674 career rebounds, which ranks 13th all-time at Edinboro. Rosten is one of only 12 players all-time with 1,000 career points and 600 career rebounds. She is averaging 12.3 ppg. and a team-high 8.1 rpg., which is sixth-best in the PSAC. The 6'2" forward ranks second in the PSAC with 2.2 bpg. and is third with 29 total blocks.
With Rosten reaching 1,000 career points, Edinboro now has three players with 1,000 points on the team at the same time for the first time in program history. Michelle Jahn went over 1,000 career points late last year, and the senior guard has climbed to 17th in career scoring with 1,269 points. Jontay Walton scored her 1,000th career point at Edinboro earlier this year. She now has 1,113 points, which ranks 26th all-time.
It shouldn't be long before the Fighting Scots have an unprecedented fourth 1,000-point scorer in the lineup. After scoring 18 points at Clarion, junior guard Michaela Barnes has run her career total to 963 points, leaving her with 37 points of becoming the 35th player with 1,000 career points. A second-team All-PSAC West selection and the PSAC Tournament MVP a year ago, she is second on the team in scoring and seventh in the conference at 18.1 ppg. The junior guard has connected on 51.2 percent of her baskets, which is sixth-best in the PSAC.
Walton is Edinboro's leading scorer, averaging 18.4 ppg. for sixth in the conference. A first-team All-PSAC West selection a year ago, the graduate student leads the league in free throw shooting percentage (86.6 pct.), is second in steals (45) and 3-point field goal percentage (39.3 percent), while ranking sixth in assists per game (4.2). After scoring a game-high 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 3-pointers and 3-of-3 free throws, she is the only Fighting Scot to score in double figures in all 16 games this season, including 32 in a row.
Jahn has been one of Edinboro's top 3-point threat during her career. The senior guard ranks seventh in the PSAC in three-point shooting percentage at 35.6 percent (36-of-101) and is eighth 3-pointers per game (2.3). In addition, she has made 83.3 percent of her free throws (45-of-54) this year, for fourth in the league. A second team All-PSAC West selection last season, she ranks second in career 3-pointers made (232), third in 3-pointers attempted (650), and is seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.356).
Bridgette Shaffer has collected +5.0 rpg. in 13 of 16 games this season. The 5'8" redshirt junior is averaging 8.7 ppg. and is the team's second-leading rebounder per game with 7.0 rpg.
Allison Thompson came off the bench at Clarion for six points and seven boards, while Sarah Fischer contributed seven points and a career-high six rebounds.
The Fighting Scots' ranks second in the PSAC in scoring offense, averaging 78.6 ppg. Defensively, they are allowing 69.1 ppg., which ranks eighth. They are first three's per game (7.9) and are second in the league in three-point shooting (35.5) and free throw shooting percentage (75.5).

Scouting The Rock

Bobby McGraw is in his fifth season as the head coach at Slippery Rock, and has orchestrated a turnaround of the program. A year ago, SRU earned its second PSAC Tournament berth in the last four years. The Rock's 12 wins represented the third-most victories in the last 14 seasons, while the 10 league wins were a program record. SRU won just 19 games in the four seasons prior to McGraw's arrival, but since taking over at SRU, he has led the team to 45 victories entering 2018-19.
The Rock comes in with an 8-9 overall record and is 6-5 in the PSAC West following Wednesday's 79-75 loss to Pitt-Johnstown. That snapped a two-game winning streak. SRU is led by Brooke Hinderliter, a junior guard who is on the verge of reaching 1,000 career points. Hinderliter enters the game with 995 career points. She is averaging 17.9 ppg. along with 5.2 rpg. A year ago, she was a second team All-PSAC West selection after averaging 14.1 ppg. and 6.5 rpg.
Ciara Patterson is the only other SRU player scoring in double figures. A 5'7" redshirt senior, she is averaging 12.7 ppg. and is one of the top 3-point threats in the PSAC with 42 three's in 124 attempts.
Morgan Henderson provides an inside presence for The Rock. The 6'2" senior averages 9.0 ppg. and a team-high 9.0 rpg.
Slippery Rock is averaging 69.1 ppg. for sixth in the conference, but ranks last at 17th in scoring defense, allowing 73.9 ppg.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes: G; 5' 5"; Junior

#4 Sarah Fischer: G; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#20 Michelle Jahn: G; 5' 7"; Senior

#15 Ciara Rosten: F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior

#1 Bridgette Shaffer: G/F; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

#32 Allison Thompson: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Jontay Walton: G; 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G

#4 Sarah Fischer
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: G

#20 Michelle Jahn
: 5' 7"; Senior
: G

#15 Ciara Rosten
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior
: F

#1 Bridgette Shaffer
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: G/F

#32 Allison Thompson
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#5 Jontay Walton
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student
: G

Edinboro University Athletics

Scoreboard

Scoreboard

Fighting Scots Begin Four-Game Homestand on Saturday vs. Slippery Rock

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#4 Sarah Fischer

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton

Players Mentioned

#2 Michaela Barnes

#4 Sarah Fischer

#20 Michelle Jahn

#15 Ciara Rosten

#1 Bridgette Shaffer

#32 Allison Thompson

#5 Jontay Walton