Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Weekly Release

No. 14 IUP (10-2, 7-1) vs. Cal (8-6, 5-3)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 / 7:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex / Indiana, PA

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AT A GLANCE
The Crimson Hawks begin Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play this Wednesday when they host rival Cal at the Kovalchick Complex. The Crimson Hawks look to win their fourth consecutive game and maintain their spot at the top of the Western Division standings, while the Vulcans hope to make a move towards the top of the tightly packed West after sweeping its crossover games this past weekend.

LAST TIME OUT
The Crimson Hawks rang in the new year with a pair of wins over PSAC East opponents West Chester and Millersville at the Kovalchick complex last weekend. IUP outlasted West Chester 71-66 on Friday before dismantling Millersville by a score of 81-56 on Saturday.

Sr. G Julian Sanders (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) drained a season-high six three-pointers en route to 32 points in Friday night's victory. Sr. G Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate) was 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points and 3 assists. Jr. G Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) chipped in 9 points and 5 rebounds for the Crimson Hawks, while Souberbielle tallied 7 points and a team-high 6 rebounds.

The Crimson Hawks  dominated from the opening tip Saturday, controlling the tempo and jumping out to a huge 54-25 halftime lead en route to the 25-point victory. Sharing the wealth in the scoring column, three players reached double-figures, led by Smith, who filled up the stat sheet tallying 16 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists, while Sanders finished with 16 points and 4 assists.

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 104-53 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.

NATIONAL POLLS
The Crimson Hawks have moved around in the polls in recent weeks and are currently 20th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches/Division II Men's Basketball Poll. They fell from 13th to 23rd after the IRMC Classic and moved up three spots after not playing at all over break.

THE ALL-TIME ASSISTS CHART
Sr. G Ashton Smith (Scarborough, ON/West Hill Collegiate) became just the fourth player in IUP history to record at least 400 career assists Saturday, and now has a total of 402 career dimes. Smith is just four assists away from passing Yancey Taylor (92-95) for 3rd place on the list, while Mont Mattocks' (66-70) career mark of 450 is the most in program history.

DIALING LONG DISTANCE
Sr. G Julian Sanders (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) is now just three trey's shy of breaking Jason Bullock's (92-96) IUP record of 287 career three-pointers made. Sanders stands at 284 3's for his career, and  is averaging over 3 three's per game this season.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Both Smith and Sanders are also making their way up the IUP all-time scoring list. Sanders is just 3 points shy of passing Garry Lupek (66-69) for 10th with 1,355 career points, while Smith sits right behind Sanders in 12th with 1,339 points.

FROM THE FOUL LINE
Fr. G Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) leads the Crimson Hawks in free throw percentage this season at 78.8 (26-33) percent, while Sanders is connecting at a 78.6 (33-42) percent clip. As a team, IUP has gotten to the line 244 times this year, making 66.4 percent of its attempts. 

TOP FROSH
The smallest player on the IUP roster, Chance has had one of the Crimson Hawks biggest contributors this season. He is 3rd on the team in scoring (7.9 ppg) and is 3rd on the team in assists (2.8 apg).

STAT STUFFER
Jr. G Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) has done it all for the Crimson Hawks this season, filling up his individual stat line each night. He 2nd on the team in assists (3.2 apg) and has been excellent on the glass, pulling down 4.3 rpg. Wells also chips in 6.3 ppg and is 3rd on the team with 11 steals this season.

OFF THE BENCH
IUP boasts a trio of players in Chance, Ayebo and So. F Kevin Jones (Washington, DC/Bishop O'Connell) who have helped the Crimson Hawks bench to outscore opponents 238-170 this season, including a 25-point output by the bench against Thiel. Jones went for a career-high 17 against Urbana, converting all seven of his shots.

JUST MARCEL
So. F Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) has flourished in his first year as a starter for the Crimson Hawks, averaging 6.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg. Souberbielle set a career-high with 10 points against Kutztown and had the go-ahead putback with :04.2 left in the 66-65 win over ESU.

THE BIG MAN
Jr. C Josh Wiegand (Whiteford, MD/John Carroll) has been a force on the glass for IUP this season, grabbing a team-high 4.8 rpg. Wiegand is tied for 6th on the team in scoring (5.4 ppg) and has been excellent at protecting the rim on the defensive end of the floor, recording a team-high 11 blocks.

OWNING THE GLASS
Much of the Crimson Hawks success this season can be attributed to their dominance on the boards, where they have outrebounded opponents 427-352 this season. IUP is 1st in the PSAC in rebounding defense (29.3) and 4th in the conference in rebounding margin (+6.2).

WINNING WITH DEFENSE
The IUP defense has stifled opponents this year, allowing just 62.1 ppg, tops in the PSAC. The Crimson Hawks also have the best scoring margin in the PSAC, winning games by an average of 10.6 points per game.