SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University women's basketball team will face the No. 3 seed Kutztown at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Quarterfinals at Heiges Field House.
 
Tickets are $10 for adults and senior citizens, and $5 for students 17 and under. PSAC students with a valid ID are free.
 
It is the third time the two teams will face each other, with each team winning on its respective home court.
 
Shippensburg (23-5) is looking to take its first trip to the PSAC Semifinals since the 2019-20 season. Last season, the Raiders fell in the first round against Lock Haven, but this year, they received a first-round bye because of being seeded No. 2.
 
Kutztown (15-14) was the third seed after jumping two spots in the Eastern Division standings last week. It is the sixth straight appearance in the PSAC tournament and the ninth time out of the last 10 seasons for the Golden Bears. KU beat Lock Haven (11-17), 68-60, on Monday at Keystone Arena.
 
PSAC TOURNAMENT HISTORY:

• SHIP is making its 24th PSAC Tournament appearance in school history.
• SHIP has a 27-17 record in the PSAC Tournament. The Tournament's first year was 1980.
• SHIP has reached the PSAC Championship game eight times, having posted a 6-2 record.
• SHIP's six PSAC Championships are tied for the most in league history; its six PSAC Championships all came consecutively as the Raiders posted an 18-0 record in the PSAC Tournament from 1996-2001.
• Head Coach Kristy Trn has posted a 13-14 career record in the PSAC Tournament.
• SHIP's last PSAC Tournament victory was when it beat Shepherd at home in the PSAC quarterfinal on Mar. 4, 2019.

 20-WIN SEASONS:

• SHIP has now achieved eight 20-win seasons under coach Kristy Trn and thirteen 20-win seasons in its history. Prior to this season, its most recent came in 2019-20, a 21-9 season in which the Raiders went 17-5 against the PSAC.

GETTING TO THE FREE-THROW LINE

• SHIP ranks third the nation in free throws made (488) and sixth in free-throw attempts (677).
• SHIP averages 24.18 free-throw attempts per game, and averages 17.43 free-throw made.
• This season, senior Ariel Jones (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) set the NCAA Division II record for career free-throws made; she currently has 834 career free throws.

 DEFENSE STRENGTH

• SHIP leads the league in the fewest turnovers per game. The Raiders average 14.9 turnovers and have caused their opponents an average of 18.8 turnovers a game. This was a big turnaround from last year, when the Raiders were second in turnovers with 19.2 per game.
• SHIP ranks second behind West Chester by 0.1 in combined team rebounds. The Raiders average 41.8 rebounds per game and lead the league in team offensive rebounds with 13.7 per game.
• Graduate Lauren Pettis (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) ranks fifth in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (4.4).

 SUCCESS IN 2022-23

• During the latest NCAA Regional ranking, the Raiders were ranked third. SU has not been ranked in the initial Atlantic Regional Rankings since Feb. 15, 2017, where they were ranked sixth.
• During this year's 23-5 season, Head Coach Kristy Trn recorded her 400th career win. She becomes the 26th active coach in NCAA Division II with 400 wins and is now the second in the PSAC to achieve the feat.

­Wednesday's winner will advance to Saturday's PSAC Semifinals. In the semifinals, the highest remaining seed from host division will play the lowest remaining seed from the opposite division. This may require a change of opponents from the original bracket.


– SU –