GAMEDAY CENTRAL
#7/RV IUP Crimson Hawks (1-1, 0-0 PSAC)
at RV/NR Mercyhurst Lakers (1-0, 0-0 PSAC)
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 | 7:30 p.m.
Mercyhurst Athletic Center | Erie, Pa.

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: HurstAthletics.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Live Updates: Twitter | @IUPMens_Bball

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The seventh-ranked Crimson Hawks look to rebound from a tough loss as they open up their PSAC schedule against Mercyhurst in Erie on Wednesday night. Tipoff from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. IUP went 1-1 during its season-opening S&T Bank Atlantic Region Challenge, defeating Urbana 86-69 before falling to Bowie State 76-72. The Lakers opened their season with an 88-58 win over Houghton on Friday.

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. You can also listen on u92radio.com and on the u92radio app on your smartphone. 

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). 

THE MAC IS A TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY FOR THE CRIMSON HAWKS
The Mercyhurst Athletic Center has traditionally been a tough place to play for IUP, as the Crimson Hawks are 3-5 in eight trips to Erie under HC Joe Lombardi since 2006. IUP has not scored over 55 points in the last four games played at the MAC, three of those losses. Click on above PDF for more information.

BRANDON NORFLEET AMONG PSAC SCORING LEADERS AFTER OPENING WEEKEND
Sr. G Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown) averaged a team-best 21.0 points per game last weekend, which is one off the league lead of 22.0 heading into the week. Norfleet scored 17 points in 31 minutes against Urbana in the opener and 25 points in 36 minutes against Bowie State on Saturday. The 25 tied his career-high from Jan. 2014 at UPJ. 

NORFLEET NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-PSAC WEST TEAM
Norfleet 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%. Click on above PDF for more information.

JACOBO DIAZ ADDS REBOUNDING DEPTH TO CRIMSON HAWKS
Already with a solid rebounder in R-Sr. F Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway), IUP seems to have added another in Fr. F Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria). Diaz had a solid collegiate debut with seven rebounds in 19 minutes against Urbana, following that up with 11 boards in 24 minutes against Bowie State. He heads into the week ranked fourth in the PSAC with 9.0 rebounds per game. Diaz also averaged 6.5 points per game last weekend, going 4-9 from the field and 5-7 from the foul line, and added four assists and two steals. 

IUP FEATURED BALANCED SCORING ON OPENING WEEKEND
Including Norfleet's 21.0 points per game, five other players averaged at least 8.5 points in the Crimson Hawks opening two games of the season. Cottrell scored a career-high 18 points against Urbana while Jr. G Brandon Spain (Baltimore, Md./Glen Burnie) scored 14 points against Bowie State. Five different players scored in double-figures in the opener. 
 
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. Cottrell, 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 Spain (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 Diaz. 

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 TWO 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 205 all-time wins, is second all-time in school history behind Gary Edwards and his 206 career victories. Click on above PDF for more information.