March 7, 2010
IUP's win in the PSAC championship game over Kutztown on Saturday combined with West Liberty's one-point loss to West Virginia State in the final of the WVIAC tournament has vaulted the Crimson Hawks into the No. 1 seed for this weekend's NCAA Atlantic Region tournament.
IUP (28-2) is riding a 10-game winning streak including victories over Gannon, East Stroudsburg and Kutztown in the PSAC tournament and will take on eight-seeded Fairmont State (22-7) in a quarterfinal game Saturday at 7:30 p.m.. The other quarterfinal that will be played at Memorial Field House will feature No. 4 seed West Virginia State (28-3) and fifth-seeded East Stroudsburg (24-5) at 5 p.m.
The IUP-Fairmont State and West Virginia State-East Stroudsburg winners will play in the semifinals Sunday at 7 p.m. If IUP advances to the championship game, it will be held at Memorial Field House Tuesday at 7 p.m.
One-day tickets for both games on Saturday and single games on Sunday and Tuesday will be $6 for adults, $4 for students and $8 for reserved seats (both adults and students). A two-day pass covering the three games on Saturday and Sunday will be available for $10 for adults, $6 for students and $14 for reserved seats. No complimentary passes or I-cards will be accepted.
In addition to game days, tickets can be purchased in advance in the athletic business office, room 107-A Memorial Field House, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.
The other half of the Atlantic Regional will be hosted by second-seeded West Liberty (27-2). The Hilltoppers held the top spot in the region for most of the season before dropping to second after a dramatic 108-107 loss to West Virginia State on Saturday. West Liberty will face WVIAC rival Alderson-Broaddus (24-6) in the first round.
Also at West Liberty on Saturday, third-seeded Saint Augustine's (26-4), the champion of the CIAA tournament, will play No. 7 seed Kutztown (23-7). The winner of the Atlantic Regional will advance to the NCAA Elite Eight March 24-27 in Springfield, Mass.
In addition to their wins over East Stroudsburg and Kutztown in the PSAC tournament, the Crimson Hawks have one other victory versus an Atlantic Regional participant, having defeated Alderson-Broaddus 70-62 on November 21 in Philippi, W.Va.
IUP is making its ninth appearance in the NCAA tournament and second in a row. A year ago, the Crimson Hawks defeated Virginia Union in the first round before losing to Kutztown in the semifinals. IUP has an overall record of 14-8 in NCAA postseason play including region titles in 1994, 1995, 2000 and 2002.
The last time IUP played host to an NCAA region tournament came in 2002 when it defeated Charleston and Salem International. IUP also won the region title at Memorial Field House in 1995 by defeating Gannon and California.
The Crimson Hawks are undefeated in 15 home games this season and are 29-2 at Memorial Field House over the past two years. IUP's 28 overall wins this season is just one shy of the 1994-95 record of 29 when it made the national semifinals for the first of two times in school history.
