GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 7 IUP Crimson Hawks (0-0, 0-0 PSAC West)
vs. Urbana Blue Knights (0-0, 0-0 MEC)
Friday, November 13, 2015 | 7:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex | Indiana, Pa.

vs. Bowie State Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 CIAA)
Saturday, November 14, 2015 | 7:30 p.m.
Kovalchick Complex | Indiana, Pa.

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: IUPathletics.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
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THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The seventh-ranked Crimson Hawks open up their 2015-16 season this weekend with the S&T Bank Atlantic Region Challenge. IUP will host Urbana on Friday night at Bowie State on Saturday, with Pitt-Johnstown also coming to Indiana to participate. Tipoff times for the Crimson Hawks will be at 7:30 p.m. on both nights. 

IUP HAS NOT LOST A SEASON OPENER IN THE 2000s
IUP has won 15 straight season openers, a streak that dates back to an 83-76 win over Thiel in 2000. The Crimson Hawks have won nine straight season openers under HC Joe Lombardi, including last year's 96-62 victory over Urbana.

IUP RANKED HIGH IN THE NATIONAL POLLS TO START THE SEASON
The Crimson Hawks are ranked seventh (receiving one first place vote) in the NABC Preseason Top 25 and eighth in the D2SIDA in their preseason poll. IUP was also ranked eighth by the Division II Bulletin.

PSAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL PICKS CRIMSON HAWKS SECOND IN THE WEST
IUP was picked to finish second in the PSAC West as the conference coaches released their preseason polls at the end of October. The defending regional champions were picked behind Mercyhurst and ahead of Edinboro (third) and ahead of last year's conference tournament champion, Gannon (fourth). 

BRANDON NORFLEET NAMED PRESEASON ALL-PSAC WEST
Sr. G Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown) was one of six players to receive preseason All-PSAC West honors when the preseason polls were released. Norfleet is IUP's top returning scorer at 11.4 PPG, reaching double-figures in scoring 22 times in 37 games a year ago. At the midseason point, Norfleet was a 180 shooter - he had a 50 FG%, 40 3FG% and a 90 FT%. 

THREE STARTERS RETURN FROM LAST YEAR'S NATIONAL FINALIST SQUAD
Five players - including three starters - from last year's national finalist team return in 2015-16, led by Norfleet. R-Sr. F Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway), Sr. F Daddy Ugbede (Gardena, Calif./Serra), Sr. F Tevin Hanner (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill) and R-Sr. G Anthony Rocco (Northern Cambria, Pa. /Northern Cambria) also come back. Cottrell is second all-time in school history with 144 blocks and has a 51.1 career field goal percentage. Ugbede transferred to IUP from Drake a season ago and averaged 11.0 points per game and had a school record 65.3 field goal percentage. Hanner saw action in all 38 games off the bench as a key reserve, averging 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in nearly 17 minutes per game. 

NINE NEWCOMERS, INCLUDING FOUR TRANSFERS, JOIN CRIMSON HAWKS IN 2015
The 2015-16 roster features nine new players, including four transfers and five freshmen. The transfers include Jr. G Brandon Spain (Baltimore, Md./Glen Burnie) (Harford CC), Jr. F Blake Danielak (Georgetown, Tex./Liberty Hill) (Drake), So. G Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) (Chicago State) and R-So. F CJ Rudisill (Pittsburgh, Pa./South Fayette) (Shenandoah). Freshmen this year include local guards Greg Bearer (Hollidaysburg, Pa. /The Kiski School), Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School), Chris McConnell (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) and Jeremy Bonifacio (Bronx, N.Y./Dwight School), joined by forward Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria). 

IUP MEN'S BASKETBALL IS A CULTURE OF SUCCESS
IUP is one of the most successful teams in the history of the PSAC, winning nine conference titles and advancing to the NCAA tournament on 14 occasions. Six of IUP's conference championships have come since 2000, including three in the last six seasons. The Crimson Hawks have advanced to the Elite Eight six times since 1994, including trips to the NCAA Division II national championship game in 2010 and 2015. IUP is 29-14 all-time in NCAA postseason games.

LOMBARDI HAS LED CRIMSON HAWKS TO NCAAs FOR SEVEN STRAIGHT SEASONS
Lombardi has taken IUP to the NCAA tournmaent in each of the last seven seasons. The Crimson Hawks have a  16-7 record in the tournament over that time span, with with regional titles in 2010 and 2015. He also led IUP to the national championship game in 2010, defeating Valdosta State and St. Cloud State before falling to Cal Poly Pomona 65-53 in the final.

LOMBARDI IS THREE WINS SHY OF BECOMING WINNINGEST COACH IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Lombardi hit the 200-win plateau with IUP's victory over Glenville State in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament. He's the fastest IUP coach to reach the milestone and with 204 all-time wins, is second all-time in school history behind Gary Edwards and his 206 career victories.  

IUP CELEBRATES ITS NATIONAL FINALIST SEASON ON FRIDAY
The 2014-15 IUP men's basketball team put together a magical season – winning 31 games and advancing to the program's second Division II National Championship game in the last six years. The Crimson Hawks defeated three number one seeds in the NCAA tournament during their title game run, including West Liberty on its own court, to clinch the program's sixth all-time regional championship and advance to the Elite Eight. IUP set single season program records for scoring, three-pointers made, and free throw percentage, while the 31 victories are the second most in school history.