#17 BLOOMSBURG (7-1, 5-0 PSAC) vs. #25 IUP (9-0, 5-0 PSAC)
Saturday, December 20, 2014 - 1:00 p.m.
Nelson Field House
 

FAN INFORMATION
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Saturday is a holiday giveaway at Nelson Field House!  Early arriving fans will have a choice of gifts which include a free Bloomsburg University 175th anniversary t-shirt; a coupon for a free whopper from Burger King or a free stadium cup from AT&T.  All giveaways are in limited quanitites and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Limit one gift per person. Gates open at noon with the women tipping off at 1 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m.

GAME COVERAGE
Complete Game Notes (PDF): BLOOMSBURG  |  IUP
Live Radio: WHLM (930 AM / 94.7, 104.3 FM / Berwick: 1280 AM / Danville: 105.5 FM)
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In-Game Twitter Updates: @GoBUHuskies

LAST TIME OUT
> Bloomsburg defeated Clarion, 65-48, on Tuesday night. The Huskies held Clarion to 38.5% shooting from the floor (20-52) and without a single 3-pointer (0-8).

> Camden Boehner (Gettysburg/Gettysburg Area) netted a career high 13 points on Tuesday at Clarion while Jocelyn Ford (Lansing, NY/Lansing) also registered 13 points, a season high. Ford tallied 11 points during the first half alone.

>The Huskies hit a season-best 10 3-pointers in the win at Clarion, shooting 47.6% from beyond the arc (10-21).

>Bloomsburg played its first overtime game since 2012 on Wednesday, holding off Pitt-Johnstown, 82-73, behind a career high 28 points from Marla Simmons (Lebanon/Cedar Crest), 19 points from Taylor Maldonado (Stroudsburg/Allentown Central Catholic) and 18 points from Jocelyn Ford (Lansing, NY/Lansing).

>UPJ entered Wednesday as the PSAC's top scoring team at over 86 points per game, but the Huskies limited the Mountain Cats to just 68 points during regulation.

SCOUTING IUP
IUP enters Saturday's game red hot after winning its first nine games of the season to rise into the national rankings at No. 25 this week. The Crimson Hawks have often been dominant, winning their last five games by double digits including PSAC crossover wins this week over Mansfield (89-56) and Lock Haven (70-59).

IUP is second in the conference in scoring this year, averaging 78.9 points per game behind the PSAC's leading scorer, senior guard Lindsay Stamp who averages 20.4 points per game. Where the Crimson Hawks truly excel, though, is defensively - IUP allows a PSAC-low 54.3 points per game. Bloomsburg is second in the league in defense, surrendering just 59.6 points per game.

LAST MEETING / SERIES HISTORY
- The Huskies and Hawks have had an interesting recent history against each other. Arguably one of the biggest wins of the 2013-14 season came at IUP when the Huskies knocked off the then-No. 20 Crimson Hawks, 74-62, at the Kovalchick Complex when IUP entered that day with a sparkling 11-1 record. The Huskies limited IUP to 32.8 percent shooting from the floor that night, earning some revenge from previous meetings in recent years. Jocelyn Ford (Lansing, NY/Lansing) led the way with 20 points and six rebounds and Morgan Klunk (Felton/York Catholic) netted 12 points.

-IUP won the previous three matchups, including NCAA Tournament first round victories in 2012 (at Edinboro), 77-76, and 2013 (at Gannon), 72-59.

-Bloomsburg also registered a 75-67 PSAC semifinal win over IUP at Edinboro in 2012.

-The Crimson Hawks have not visited Nelson Field House since Jan. 3, 2011 - an 84-62 IUP victory. The last six meetings have either been at IUP (three) or on neutral floors (three).

TWEETABLES
Huskies facts in 140 characters or less
-The Huskies are 41-7 at Nelson Field House since the start of the 2011-12 season. Bloomsburg has not lost more than two games at home in a season during that span.

-The 28 points scored by Marla Simmons (Lebanon/Cedar Crest) on Wednesday at UPJ are the most by any Huskies player since Adreana Sadowski (Fleetwood/Brandywine Heights) scored 30 vs. UPJ on Jan. 4, 2014.

-Bloomsburg is +86 in scoring vs. opponents when Marla Simmons (Lebanon/Cedar Crest) is on the floor, the best plus/minus of any BU player this season.

-Simmons has also played the most minutes of any BU player - 283.

-Wednesday's win at UPJ was the first overtime contest for the Huskies since a double OT win at Lincoln (PA) on Nov. 17, 2012 (74-71).

-The Huskies are in the midst of six straight crossover games against the PSAC West.

-Bloomsburg is 13-3 against the West in crossover play the past three years.

-The Huskies remained the same in the USA Today/WBCA NCAA Division II Top 25, holding steady at No. 17 this week.

-After West Chester's 69-61 loss at Gannon Wednesday the Huskies are the only remaining unbeaten team in the PSAC East standings (5-0).

-Saturday is the second game this year for the Huskies against a nationally ranked opponent - Bloomsburg defeated then-No. 11 Edinboro, 59-49, at home on Nov. 25.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
> 4 - Bloomsburg has won the PSAC East outright in each of the past four years. The only other time that has happened was by the 1988-91 Huskies teams. No other school has accomplished the feat.

> 7 - The largest deficit the Huskies have overcome this year and still won is seven points - BU trailed by seven with 2:38 left in the first half during a 71-59 win at University of the Sciences on Nov. 30.

> +7.2 - Bloomsburg ranks third in the PSAC in turnover margin at +7.2.

> 20.9 - The Huskies are averaging 20.9 points per game off turnovers this year.

> 22.6 - Bloomsburg is forcing opponents into an average of 22.6 turnovers per game thus far.

> 31.8 - The Huskies are averaging 31.8 points in the paint per game this season. Opponents average just 23.5.

> 54.3 - IUP leads the PSAC in scoring defense, surrendering only 54.3 points per game to opponents.

>59.6 - The Huskies rank second in the PSAC in scoring defense, allowing 59.6 points per game.

EAST VS. WEST
Saturday's game will see the top teams from each division do battle. Bloomsburg enters the day in sole possession of first in the PSAC East with a 5-0 divisional record. Out West, IUP stands just percentage points behind California (PA) - Cal U is 6-0 in the conference while IUP is 5-0. IUP is the only team in the entire conference yet to be defeated at 9-0 overall.

TOUGH COMPETITION
Bloomsburg is no stranger to facing nationally ranked competition in recent years. Since the start of the 2012-13 campaign, the Huskies are 7-5 against Top 25 teams with their five losses coming by an average of 6.4 points. Bloomsburg's only double-digit setback vs. a Top 25 team during that span was a 68-54 decision at then-No. 12 IUP on Dec. 18, 2012.

UP NEXT
The Huskies will be off for the holiday break following Saturday's game, next playing Jan. 3-4 at home vs. Seton Hill and Cal (PA) as crossover play continues.