GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 17 IUP Crimson Hawks (9-1, 4-1 PSAC)
vs. No. 2 Fairmont State Fighting Falcons (8-0, 4-0 MEC)
Momday, December 19, 2016 | 7:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex

Full Game Notes (PDF)
Live Stats: SidearmStats.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Listen: Smartphone | U92 Sports App
Live Updates: Twitter | @IUPMens_Bball

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The 17th-ranked Crimson Hawks (9-1) host their second top 25 showdown of the season when they welcome second-ranked Fairmont State (8-0) to the Kovalchick Complex on Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fairmont State will be the second top 10 opponent to visit Indiana in the last two weeks, with IUP defeating then-eighth-ranked Kutztown 77-76 on December 4. The Falcons have ranked wins over No. 1 West Liberty and No. 4 Wheeling Jesuit this year, and will host Winston-Salem State on Saturday prior to traveling to IUP. 

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.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• This is the second straight year these two teams have played, with 10th-ranked Fairmont State defeating IUP 85-72 on Dec. 12, 2015 in West Virginia 
• Saturday's game is the sixth of eight straight home dates for the Crimson Hawks this year; IUP is 7-1 in Indiana this year and 37-4 (.902) at home since the start of the 2014-15 season
• IUP HC Joe Lombardi is 1-1 against Fairmont St. in his career, defeating the Falcons 71-67 in the opening round of the 2010 Atlantic Region Championships; He has a 174-64 record (.731) against teams on this year's schedule
• This will be the third game away from home this year for Fairmont State, with one of those wins a 95-92 overtime victory at No. 4 Wheeling Jesuit
• Fairmont State is third in Division II in scoring at 98.0 points per game, including a season-high 134 points against Davis & Elkins; Five players average double-figures, including Matt Bingaya at 21.3 per game
• IUP has held opponents under 70 points six times this year, forcing teams to average 13.7 turnovers per game

THE CRIMSON HAWKS ARE NEARLY UNBEATABLE AT HOME
In 11 years under HC Joe Lombardi, IUP boasts a record of 141-27 (.839) at home, including a 7-1 mark this year. Lombardi and the Crimson Hawks had 18-0 and 16-1 home records during their 2009-10 and 2014-15 national finalist seasons, and have lost just 13 games in Indiana in the last nine seasons. Since the opening of the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex in 2011-12, the Crimson Hawks have a 75-9 record (.893) in their new arena. 

IUP EMPHASIZES SHARING, ASSISTS UP TO 18.2 PER GAME THIS SEASON
The Crimson Hawks rank third in the PSAC and 23rd in Division II with an average of 18.20 assists this season, a mark that is up by more than three assists per game over last year. Three times they've dished out more than 20 in a game, including a season-high 22 against Bowie State and The Sciences. Four players average at least 2.7 assists per game, with So. G Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) leading the team - and ranking sixth in the PSAC - with 4.8 dimes per contest. 

CRIMSON HAWKS AMONG TOP FREE THROW SHOOTING TEAMS IN THE NATION
IUP is once again converting consistently from the foul line, ranking second in the PSAC and 30th in the nation at 76.8 percent (139-181). The Crimson Hawks make better than 78 percent of their free throws at home, going 31-34 (.912) during their last two games against Kutztown and Mansfield. All five starters and two of the top three bench players are shooting at least 70.0 percent from the charity stripe, led by Sr. G Brandon Spain (Baltimore, Md./Glen Burnie) and his 86.2 clip. 

IUP BOASTS BALANCED SCORING WITH FOUR PLAYERS AVERAGE IN DOUBLE-FIGURES
Even after losing All-American scoring champ Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown), the Crimson Hawks' scoring is up so far this year, with four players averaging in double-figures. So. F Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) scores a team-best 16.4 per game, while Jr. G Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) scores 14.7, Lombardi scores 12.9, and R-Jr. F Blake Danielak (Georgetown, Tex./Liberty Hill) averages 11.2 off the bench. All eight players in IUP's main rotation have hit double-figures at least once this year, with Diaz and Glover each scoring at least 10 points nine times. 

JACOBO DIAZ PROVES HIMSELF ONE OF BEST IN THE WEST, AVERAGES DOUBLE-DOUBLE PER GAME
Landing on the Preseason All-PSAC West team as voted by the coaches, Diaz is living up to that status as he's one of only two players in the conference averaging a double-double with 16.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He has six double-doubles this year, including a streak of four in a row, and has four outings with 20 or more points. Able to make shots from inside or outside, he's fifth in the PSAC with a 58.5 field goal percentage (62-106). 

DEVON COTTRELL IS IUP's BLOCKED SHOTS KING, HAS RETURNED TO FORM AFTER INJURY
Missing all but six games last year due to injury, R-Sr. F Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) has returned to the lineup as a regular starter to average a career-high 9.3 points along with 4.4 rebounds per game this year. The highlight of his comeback came against Kutztown, making the game-winning putback with 0.1 seconds left in the 77-76 victory. Cottrell also broke Darryl Webb's (2007-11) all-time blocked shots record at IUP, heading into this game with 166 for his career. 

ANTHONY GLOVER COMING ON AS ONE OF THE TOP GUARDS IN THE DIVISION
After learning his way alongside Norfleet last year, Jr. G Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) has taken on a larger role in is second year at IUP. Glover is second on the team with 14.6 points and 3.1 assists per game, and is among the PSAC leaders with a 46.9 field goal percentage, 39.3 three-point percentage, and 22 made treys.  

DANTE LOMBARDI PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF AFTER FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR SEASON
Last year's PSAC West Freshman of the Year, Lombardi taken over as the starting point guard this season. In addition to ranking sixth in the PSAC in assists, he's scored in double-figures eight times this year, including a season-high 18 against Mansfield. 

FOLLOW
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP Men's Basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPMens_Bball.