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SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team will play a pair of nationally ranked opponents in the coming days when it hosts No. 10 California University (Pa.) 1 p.m. Saturday before traveling to play at No. 3 Indiana University (Pa.) 5:30 p.m. Monday.

WATCH LIVE ON YOUR TV
• Fans can watch Saturday's game live and on-demand on the Rock Athletics Digital Network
• Search for Rock Athletics Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (4th generation), Roku and Android TV devices
• More info on the Rock Athletics Digital Network can be found here
 

Slippery Rock (7-5, 5-2) vs. California (12-1, 7-0)
Date and Time	Saturday, Jan. 6 - 1 p.m.
Location	Slippery Rock – Morrow Field House
Video	Link
Live Stats	Link
In-Game Updates	Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series	Vulcans leads 53-25
Last Played	2/1/17 (Cal. won 79-55 at SRU)

 

Slippery Rock (7-5, 5-2) vs. Indiana (Pa.) (11-0, 6-0)
Date and Time	Monday, Jan. 8 - 5:30 p.m.
Location	Indiana, Pa. – KCAC
Video	Link
Live Stats	Link
In-Game Updates	Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series	Indiana leads 53-25
Last Played	2/4/17 (IUP won 105-73 at IUP)

SERIES HISTORY vs. CALIFORNIA
California holds a commanding 53-25 edge over Slippery Rock in the all-time series. The Vulcans have a 31-game winning streak against The Rock. SRU's last victory against California was a 70-60 triumph at home on Feb. 6, 2002.
 
SERIES HISTORY vs. INDIANA
The Crimson Hawks have won 21 straight games over The Rock to improve their lead in the all-time series to 50-31. The Rock's last win against Indiana (Pa.) came on Jan. 24, 2007 (62-59).
 
SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
Overall Record: 7-5
PSAC West Record: 5-2
PSAC West Standings: Fourth
Home Record: 4-1
Away Record: 3-3
Neutral Court Record: 0-1
Streak: Won one
Last Five Games: 3-2
Head Coach: Bobby McGraw | Fourth season at SRU (40-55)
 
SCOUTING THE ROCK
• LAST TIME OUT – Slippery Rock led by as many as 21 points and withstood a late comeback bid by Mercyhurst University to defeat the Lakers at home, 60-57 (Box Score).
 
• Slippery Rock has won three of its last four games to improve its record to 7-5 on the season overall and 5-2 in PSAC West games. The Rock's 5-2 PSAC West record is the best start to league play for the program since SRU began its conference schedule 5-2 during the 1999-00 season.
 
• Despite an uncharacteristically low 13-for-24 showing from the foul line against Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock still leads the PSAC in free throw shooting percentage at .767. Five players are currently shooting over 75 percent from the charity stripe including Brooke Hinderliter (.895), Sierra Fordham (.813), Morgan Henderson (.808) and Madison Johnson (.766). Hinderliter has made 26 consecutive foul shots.
 
• SRU is also tied for the league lead with Shippensburg in blocks at 50. Mallory Heinle has paced The Rock with 11 rejections this season with Henderson and Krista Pietropola chipping in nine and eight blocks, respectively, as well. Slippery Rock is on pace for what would be a single-season program record 113 blocks.
 
• The Rock's 42.4 rebounds per game is the second highest total in the PSAC behind only Edinboro (43.7). SRU is the only school in the PSAC to have five players that average at least 4.9 rebounds per game in Hinderliter (6.4), Henderson (5.5), Heinle (5.3), Johnson (5.0) and Pietropola (4.9). Hinderliter also ranks seventh in the league in offensive rebounds per game at 3.1.
 
• Defensively, The Rock has held opponents to under a field goal percentage of under .400 in eight of 12 games this season. On the year, SRU ranks fourth in the PSAC in field goal shooting percentage defense at .359.
 
• Slippery Rock is a perfect 6-0 when leading at halftime and 4-1 when committing fewer turnover than its opponents.
 
• Hinderliter is in the midst of a stellar sophomore campaign. She is currently averaging 16.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field overall and 89.5 at the free throw line. Hinderliter is the only player in the PSAC West to average at least 16 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
 
• Henderson has come on strong as of late by producing 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals per game and a 59.0 field goal percentage in SRU's last six outings. She just missed out on a double-double against Mercyhurst after going for 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
• In addition to scoring 10.7 points per game this season, Madison Johnson has also averaged 6.8 rebounds per game over The Rock's last four contests.
 
• Heinle enters the California game with 403 career rebounds. She is 49 away from cracking The Rock's career top-20 leaderboard for rebounds. Heinle, who is averaging 5.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a senior, already ranks ninth in program history in offensive rebounds and 14th in blocks. She is also closing in on 100 career games played and is on pace to finish her career with 108 games played, which would be tied for second in program history.
 
• LeeAnn Gibson, who has started SRU's last six games, has matched her season-high scoring production of eight points in two of the last three contests. So far in her sophomore season, Gibson has appeared in all 12 games, making eight starts while averaging 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
 
• After tallying totals of just two points and five rebounds in the previous two games, Pietropola rallied back against Mercyhurst with an eight-point, seven-rebound, three of which were on the offensive glass, one-assist, one-block performance against Mercyhurst.
 
• Skyla O'Connor came off the bench to match her career-high with six points in The Rock's win against Mercyhurst. Her previous six-point showing came just two games ago in The Rock's win against West Virginia Wesleyan.
 
• Fordham, a senior, is on pace to set career-highs in points, rebounds, blocks and steals.
 
NEXT FIVE GAMES
Jan. 10 (5:30 p.m.) at Clarion
Jan. 13 (1 p.m.) vs. Mansfield
Jan. 17 (5:30 p.m.) at Pitt-Johnstown
Jan. 20 (1 p.m.) vs. Edinboro
Jan. 24 (5:30 p.m.) vs. Gannon
 
CALIFORNIA (PA) PRIMER
Overall Record: 12-1
WBCA Rank: 10th
PSAC West Record: 7-0
PSAC West Standings: First place
Home Record: 7-0
Away Record: 4-1
Neutral Court Record: 1-0
Streak: Won seven
Last Five Games: 5-0
Head Coach: Jess Strom  |  Seventh season at Cal. (141-39)
 
SCOUTING THE VULCANS
• As one would expect from one of the best teams in the nation, California leads, or is one of the top three teams, in the PSAC in several statistical categories. Through 13 games, the Vulcans are first in the league in turnovers forced per game (25.0) and steals per game (14.46) as well as ranking second in conference in scoring defense (58.8) and third in scoring margin ( 13.4).
 
• Shatara Parsons leads in the PSAC in scoring at 22.8 points per game and steals per game with 3.0. Mia Cushon and DJ Hahn both score in double figures per game as well at 14.6 and 10.3, respectively.
 
• The Vulcans have held opponents to under 60 points in four of their last five games and just five times on the season overall.
 
INDIANA PRIMER
Overall Record: 11-0
WBCA Rank: Third
PSAC West Record: 6-0
PSAC West Standings: Second
Home Record: 6-0
Away Record: 5-0
Neutral Court Record: 0-0
Streak: Won 11
Last Five Games: 5-0
Head Coach: Tom McConnell  |  Fifth season at IUP (88-30)
 
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON HAWKS
• Prior to its game against Slippery Rock, IUP will put its 11-game winning streak on the line Saturday against Mercyhurst University.
 
• Indiana is first in the PSAC in field goal percentage (46.6) and three-point field goal percentage (38.1). The Crimson Hawks are also the top defense in the league allowing just 52.6 points per contest.
 
• Megan Smith leads the scoring attack for IUP averaging 17.9 points per game. She adds a defensive presence as well grabbing 4.3 rebounds per contest and ranks first on the team in block shots (14).
 
• The duo of Carolyn Appleby and Brittany Robinson round out Indiana's top scorers averaging 13.8 and 10.8 points per game, respectively.
 
UP NEXT
Following its game against IUP, The Rock will play at Clarion University 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10.



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