Complete Games Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Report

No. 8 IUP (4-0, 2-0) vs. Bloomsburg (5-1, 2-0)
Saturday, December 3, 2011 / 3:00 p.m.
Memorial Field House / Indiana, PA

Live Stats - IUPathletics.com
Live Video - NMTVSports.com
Live Audio - RedZoneMedia.com

No. 8 IUP (4-0, 2-0) vs. Mansfield (2-1, 1-1)
Sunday, December 4, 2011 / 3:00 p.m.
Memorial Field House / Indiana, PA

Live Stats - IUPathletics.com
Live Video - NMTVSports.com
Live Audio - RedZoneMedia.com

 AT A GLANCE
8th-ranked IUP returns to the Memorial Field House this weekend for a pair of games against two talented PSAC East squads Bloomsburg and Mansfield.

The Crimson Hawks look to remain unbeaten in conference play, while the Huskies and Mountaineers are vying for early-season control of the Eastern Division.

LAST TIME OUT
Sr. G Julian Sanders (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) and Sr. G Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate) combined to shoot 15-of-21 from the field, including 9-of-12 from
three-point range, scoring 41 points as IUP used a big first half en route to an 80-64 win over Shippensburg Sunday
afternoon.

In addition to his 20 points, Smith grabbed five rebounds while Sanders had four. Fr. G Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) came off the bench to score 10 points in 25 minutes, shooting 4-of-6 from the field and dishing out seven assists. Jr. C Josh Wiegand (Whiteford, MD/John Carroll) went a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, scoring 13 points in 19 minutes.

IUP had an efficient day shooting the ball, connecting on 10-of-20 three-point attempts and 10-of-14 chances from the charity stripe, while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor.

THE HEAD COACH
Joe Lombardi (Youngstown State, '81) is in his sixth season as the head coach of the IUP men's basketball program and is coming off yet another successful season in leading the Crimson Hawks to their second straight PSAC title and to the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship game last year.

Lombardi has compiled a record of 100-53 during his tenure with the Crimson Hawks and has the fourth-highest winning percentage in IUP history. Prior to his time with the Crimson Hawks, Lombardi served as an assistant coach at Saint Francis (PA), Lasalle, and the University of Pittsburgh.

HOMECOMING FOR SANOW
John Sanow (IUP, '87) begins his sixth season as the Bloomsburg head coach and has helped the Huskies to improve in each of his seasons at the helm. Sanow's previous coaching stops include the University of Vermont along with Division II schools Gannon University and Pitt-Johnstown. He also spent 11 years as an assistant coach at Division I St. Francis (PA).

As a player, Sanow led IUP in scoring and was an All-PSAC First Team selection in 1986. Sanow is a career 45.8% 3-point shooter, which is an IUP all-time high.
   
NATIONAL POLLS
The Crimson Hawks jumped up to 8th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Men's Basketball poll after racing  out to a 4-0 start this season. IUP is the only PSAC School in the top 25, with defending national champion Bellarmine holding the top spot.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sanders was named the PSAC West Player of the Week after helping the Crimson Hawks to a perfect 3-0 week with victories over Thiel and PSAC East opponents Cheyney and Shippensburg. Sanders averaged 23.7 points per game, shooting 66.7 percent from the field, and shot a blistering 57.1 percent from three-point range, connecting on 12-of-21 attempts.

FROM THE FOUL LINE
Jr. C Danny Ayebo is a sparkling 88.9% (16-18) free-throw shooter this season, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the line in the Crimson Hawks win over Shippensburg. As a team, IUP is getting to the stripe over 24 times a game.

TOP FROSH
The smallest player on the IUP roster, Fr. G Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) has had one of the Crimson Hawks biggest contributors this season. Chance is third on the team in scoring (8.0 ppg) and leads IUP in assists (4.3 apg).

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Sr. G Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate) moved into fifth place on the IUP all-time assists chart this weekend when he recorded the 373rd assist of his career against Shippensburg. Smith averages 3.5 dimes per game this season.

Both Smith and Sr. G Julian Sanders (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) are also making their way up the IUP all-time scoring list. Sanders is 16th on the list with 1238 career points, while Smith is in 18th place with 1174 career points.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS
Jr. G Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) has been excellent on the glass this season, pulling down a team-high 5.5 rebounds per game as the Crimson Hawks starting point guard. grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds in IUP's win over Thiel.

OFF THE BENCH
IUP boasts a trio of players in Chance, Ayebo and So. F Kevin Jones (Washington, DC/Bishop O'Connell) that have helped the Crimson Hawks bench to outscore opponents 87-57 this season, including a 25-point output by the bench against Thiel. Jones averages this 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in just 16 minutes per game.

THE BIG MEN
The Crimson Hawks have a physically imposing front line in 2011-12 thanks to So. F Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) and Jr. C Josh Wiegand (Whiteford, MD/John Carroll). Souberbielle averages 4.5 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.0 rebounds per contest.

Wiegand has been excellent in the low post this season, averaging 8.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He has also been excellent at protecting the rim on the defensive end of the floor, recording a team-high six blocks.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
IUP returns to the Memorial Field House this weekend for the first time since moving to the brand new Kovalchick Complex this season. The Crimson Hawks called the Field House home from 1966-2011, and the last game IUP played on that floor was when they hoisted their second-straight PSAC title last season.