GameDay Central 
No. 18 IUP Crimson Hawks (19-3, 13-3 PSAC) 
vs. Gannon Golden Knights (15-7, 14-3 PSAC) 
Saturday, February 7, 2015 | 7:30 p.m. 
Kovalchick Complex | Indiana, Pa.  

IUP Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: IUPAthletics.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
Live Audio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Live Video: IUP-TV | BackLightTV.com

AT A GLANCE
In what could decide the PSAC West title, the 18th-ranked Crimson Hawks host rival Gannon this Saturday night at the KCAC. Both teams bring four-game winning streaks into the weekend as IUP will look to even the season series after the Golden Knights edged the Crimson Hawks 61-56 in overtime back on Dec. 6. 

LAST TIME OUT
IUP set up this pivotal game with a low-scoring, 64-56 home win over Cal on Wednesday night. Sr. G Shawn Dyer (Marion, Ohio/Marion Harding) was the Crimson Hawks' hot hand with a game-high 22 points, going 7-12 from the field, including 3-6 from 3-point range. He also just missed out on a double-double with 9 rebounds. 

THE SERIES
Gannon has flexed its muscles recently in this series, winning each of the last four games. The average scoring margin has been +4.5 for Gannon in those games, including a pair of overtime wins.  

WHAT'S NEXT
The Crimson Hawks' schedule doesn't get any easier as they head to Erie next Wednesday to face Mercyhurst. It'll be another revenge game for them as they lost to the Lakers 65-62 back on Dec. 3. It was the IUP's first loss of the season.
 
IUP IN THE POLLS
The Crimson Hawks moved up three spots to No. 18 in this week's NABC coaches' top 25 and have now been ranked in all 10 coaches polls released this season. However, they are still sitting outside of the D2SIDA top 25, receiving votes in the weekly media version of the poll.

REGIONAL RANKINGS
IUP remains at No. 3 in the lastest D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings. This regional media poll is new for this year and is voted on by a group of sports information directors in each NCAA Division II region. The NCAA will release its regional rankings - which determine the teams that make the field of 64 - on Feb. 18. 

THE CHASE IS ON
Six games remain on the schedule for the Crimson Hawks as they battle for the PSAC West title. Gannon is currently a half-game up on IUP with a 14-3 league record while the Crimson Hawks hold a 1.5-game lead over 12-5 Mercyhurst. IUP's remaining schedule includes four of the five teams currently holding on to postseason tournament berths - Gannon, Mercyhurst, Edinboro and Slippery Rock. 

CLOSING IN ON 1000
Sr. G Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) heads into this weekend with 978 career points, just 22 away from becoming the 29th player in program history to reach the 1000 point milestone.  

THE 1000/400 CLUB
With his scoring milestone in sight, Chance would become just the fourth player in IUP history to score 1000 points and dish out 400 assists in his career. The other players are Ashton Smith (1635, 456), Eddie Peterson (1621, 425) and Yancey Taylor (1257, 406). 

FLOOR GENERAL
Chance has guided IUP's offensive charge all season long, leading the team with 14.8 ppg and 6.0 apg. He has 18 double-digit scoring games and has dished out 6 or more assists in 12 of IUP's 22 games. Chance is in the top 12 in the PSAC in all three shooting categories, including 4th with a 43.2 3FG%.

DISHING IT OUT
Arguably the best point guard in the Atlantic Region, Chance is currently 2nd in the PSAC and 15th in Division II with 6.0 apg this year. He's moved into 3rd place all-time in IUP history with 427 career assists, and he's within striking distance of Smith's (2008-12) program record of 456.   

AGAINST THE PSAC
Gr. G Shawn Dyer (Marion, Ohio/Marion Harding) and Sr. F Jeremy Jeffers (Wilson, N.C./Greenfield School) have been lighting it up from downtown during IUP's conference schedule, with Dyer connecting on 43.6 pct and Jeffers hitting 43.3 pct from 3-point range. Both of those are better than their season averages of 39.4 pct and 39.2 pct, respectively. 

SHOOTING THE LIGHTS OUT
IUP is the top overall shooting team in the PSAC, leading the league in field goal pct (48.9) and free throw pct (77.0) and is 2nd in 3-point field goal pct (40.1). Nine times the Crimson Hawks have shot at least 50 pct in a game and 12 times they've converted 77 pct or better from the foul line. 

HIS NEW LEAGUE
Dyer has found success playing against the PSAC, scoring 20+ points four times in his last nine league games. He's averaging 13.9 ppg and 5.6 rpg with shooting averages of 47.1 pct (FGs), 43.6 pct (3FGs) and 72.5 pct (FTs) - All of those marks are improvements on his overall season statistics. 

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, the Crimson Hawks are a combined 51-6 in games played in the Kovalchick Complex with an average attendance of 1,609. This year IUP is 9-1 in games played in the KCAC.

SCOUTING GANNON
The Golden Knights have been the most defensive dominant team in the PSAC all season long, ranking 2nd in Division II by giving up just 57.2 points per contest. They've held opponents to 60 or fewer points 14 times this year, including four games in the 40s. The key has been limiting possessions, as opponents average less than 48 shots per game, 2nd lowest in the conference. This also leads to lower scoring on the offensive end, with Gannon averaging a league-low 62.5 points. The Golden Knights are also one of the top rebounding teams with a +10.1 rebounding margin this year. The offense will come from Sr. G Adam Blazek, the reigning PSAC West Player of the Year, who averages 14.4 points and 3.4 assists.