Game Notes (PDF) I Live Stats I Live Audio I California (Pa.) Statistics I Bloomsburg Statistics

CALIFORNIA (March 6) – The California University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team will travel to face host Bloomsburg in the semifinals of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament on Saturday, March 7, at 3:30 p.m.
 
TICKETS
All students from PSAC institutions will be admitted free with a valid student ID. Host Bloomsburg is selling two-day passes for the semifinals on Saturday at the cost of $14 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the gate beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The Cal U sports information office will provide live statistics for the game at the link above. Live updates will also be available throughout the game on the official Twitter feed for Cal U athletics (@calvulcans).

STORYLINES
• Last time out: Cal U earned a 66-53 victory over Gannon in the PSAC Quarterfinals on Tuesday. Senior Kaitlynn Fratz posted 17 points and eight rebounds in the win.
• The Vulcans are ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings.
• The Vulcans are making their 22nd all-time appearance in the PSAC Tournament. Cal U holds a 29-17 overall record in the league tournament (12-0 in semifinals).
• Cal U is making its 13th appearance in the PSAC Semifinals and has won 10 of its last 11 games, including an eight-game winning streak from Jan. 24-Feb. 18.  

ABOUT THE VULCANS
• In her fourth season as head coach, Jess Strom enters play with a 78-29 career record (.729), including a 57-21 mark (.731) in PSAC play.     
• Cal U features a balanced scoring attack with four players averaging at least 10.0 points/game with a team-high 15.2 points/game from sophomore Miki Glenn.
• The Vulcans rank in the top five of the PSAC in both scoring offense (72.9) and scoring defense (59.0). Cal U has held opponents to 60 points or fewer 13 times.

ABOUT THE HUSKIES
• In seven seasons at Bloomsburg, Bill Cleary has compiled a 149-53 overall record and holds a 205-138 career record in 12 years.
• Senior Marla Simmons leads the team with 14.2 points/game and is second with 5.7 rebounds/game. Taylor Maldonado is second on the team with 10.9 points/game.
• The Huskies recorded a 64-54 victory at home over Kutztown in the quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament on Tuesday.

ABOUT THE SERIES
• Cal U leads the all-time series 11-8 despite suffering a 68-56 loss during the regular season at Bloomsburg on Jan. 4.
• Cal U and Bloomsburg are meeting for the fifth time in the postseason with the teams splitting four previous contests. Cal U last beat Bloomsburg on March 4, 2011.

ROAD WARRIORS
With its victory at Slippery Rock on Feb. 25, the Vulcans won 11 road games for the first time since 2009-10 when they finished with an 11-4 mark. With one more road win this season, the Vulcans would match the 2002-03 team with 12 road wins. Cal U has totaled at least 10 road victories in five of the past eight seasons and seven of the last 13 years.

DOUBLE THE FUN
Cal U features four players who average at least 10.0 points per game. Sophomore Miki Glenn (15.2), and seniors Emma Mahady (14.0), Kaitlynn Fratz (13.2) and Irina Kukolj (10.3) are the first quartet to accomplish this feat since the 2008 Elite Eight team boasted four players averaging double-digits in scoring.  

SEMIFINAL SUCCESS
With its quarterfinal win over Gannon, Cal U advanced to the semifinals of the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2011. In 12 semifinal appearances, the Vulcans boast a 12-0 record with an average margin of victory of 14.4 points per game and all but three semifinal wins have been by double-digits. Cal U advanced to the semifinals 11-consecutive seasons from 2001-2011 and defeated Bloomsburg in both the 2001 (81-72) and 2011 (77-71) league semifinals.

IRON VULCANS
The starting lineup of Glenn, Mahady, Fratz, Kukolj, and junior Lana Doran have provided remarkable durability, as the quintet has started together in 27 of 28 games this season. The lone starting lineup change occurred on Feb. 18 when Kukolj did not play due to illness. In comparison, a total of 10 different players started at least one game last season.

STROM IN THE POSTSEASON
In her fourth year as head coach, Jess Strom has guided the Vulcans to a 78-29 record and a berth to their 22nd appearance in the PSAC Tournament, including the programís 15th-straight appearance. Strom holds a 3-3 record in the PSAC Tournament and faces Bloomsburg for the first time in the post-season. Strom was an assistant coach at Cal U when the Vulcans beat Bloomsburg in the semifinals of the 2011 PSAC Tournament. In addition, she has led the Vulcans to one NCAA Tournament appearance, advancing to the regional championship in 2013.

PSAC HONORS
Three Cal U players were named to the All-PSAC West Teams on Thursday afternoon. Glenn was named to the All-PSAC West First-Team after being the 2014 PSAC West Freshman of the Year. Mahady earned All-PSAC West First-Team status for the first time in her career, while Fratz received All-PSAC Second-Team laurels. In addition, forward Seairra Barrett was selected the PSAC West Freshman of the Year and Strom was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the first time in her career.

AROUND THE STATE
All four of the higher seeds won in quarterfinals of the PSAC Tournament on Tuesday. As the highest remaining seed from the PSAC East, Bloomsburg will host the semifinals and finals on March 7-8. The PSAC Championship on Sunday will broadcast live across the state on PCN with the game scheduled for 1 p.m. The winner of the league tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with the entire field being revealed late Sunday night via a webstream on NCAA.com.

FIRST TICKET PUNCHED
Virginia State earned its first CIAA Championship since 2002 over the weekend with a 73-49 victory over Lincoln. With the win, the Trojans received the automatic qualifier from the CIAA into the NCAA Tournament.