2012-13 NCAA DIVISION II ATLANTIC REGION TOURNAMENT - SWEET SIXTEEN
No. 3 IUP Crimson Hawks (26-5) vs. No. 1 West Liberty Hilltoppers (32-1)
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 | 7:00 PM
Academic, Sports & Recreation Complex | West Liberty, WV

TOURNAMENT LINKS
Complete Game Notes (.PDF)
Tournament Central
Interactive Bracket

LIVE COVERAGE
Webcast: UStream.tv (WLU-TV)
Television: Comcast Ch. 6 (IUP-TV)
Listen: RedZoneMedia.com (WQMU 92.5 FM)
Stats: Hilltoppersports.com

AT A GLANCE
The third seed Crimson Hawks return to the Sweet Sixteen as they battle top seed West Liberty on Tuesday evening in the 2013 NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Championship game. IUP has defeated East Stroudsburg (76-68) and Slippery Rock (53-50) to get here while the Hilltoppers beat Bowie State (114-82) and Fairmont State (100-77).

LAST TIME OUT
IUP tallied its 5th and 6th straight wins over the weekend, defeating ESU 76-68 in the opening round and rival Slippery Rock 53-50 in advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Jr. F Marcel Souberbielle (Montevideo, Uruguay/Uruguayan American School) averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while Sr. G Anthony Wells (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) averaged 18.0 points, including 22 against the Warriors on Saturday.

AGAINST THE HILLTOPPERS
IUP holds a 3-1 lead in the all-time series with West Liberty, with the two schools splitting their Atlantic Region championship matchups in 2010 (IUP 84, West Liberty 72) and in 2011 (West Liberty 89, IUP 86). IUP won 84-82 in its 1996 Holiday Tournament and 87-71 in a regular season matchup in 1982.

IUP IN THE TOURNAMENT
IUP has 12 all-time NCAA tournament appearances, with five regional championships, three trips to the Elite Eight, and one national title game appearance. IUP is 23-11 in the tournament, including a 10-4 record in five trips under Joe Lombardi.

FIVE-TIME
The Crimson Hawks are one of just six teams in all of Division II to advance to the NCAA tournament  in each of the last five seasons. IUP is the only Atlantic Region team to have qualified for the last five tournaments, while Florida Southern and Seattle Pacific have been selected in each of the past six years.

WHEN IT COUNTS
Wells has been the Crimson Hawks top scorer in their 5 PSAC & NCAA postseason games, averaging 16.2 ppg with a 45.5 3FG% (15-33). He has games of 23 points against West Chester (PSAC semifinals) and 22 points against ESU (NCAA 1st round), shooting a combined 12-20 from the field and 10-15 from 3-point range in those 2 games.

HE'S PLAYING SOUBER
Souberbielle has been strong in the Atlantic Region tournament this year, averaging 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds through 2 games, including a double-double against Slippery Rock. He has a 55.0 FG% (11-20) and went 3-5 from 3-point range against SRU on Sunday. He also has 8 offensive rebounds.

THE HEAD COACH
Joe Lombardi (Youngstown State, '81) has established himself as one of the best coaches in IUP history in his seven seasons with the team, leading the Crimson Hawks to three PSAC championships and five consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to his time with the Crimson Hawks, Lombardi served as an assistant coach at Saint Francis (PA), LaSalle, and the University of Pittsburgh. He'll be going for his 150th career victory tonight, compiling a career record of 149-64 at IUP.