GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 2/10 IUP Crimson Hawks (24-2, 19-1 PSAC)
vs. Clarion Golden Eagles (7-19, 4-16 PSAC)
Wednesday, February 22, 2017 | 7:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex

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

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The 2nd-ranked Crimson Hawks celebrate Senior Night this Wednesday when they host Clarion. Tipoff at the Kovalchick Complex is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. IUP enters its final home regular season game with the goal of preparing for the upcoming PSAC tournament, having wrapped up the No. 1 seed an home court advantage two weeks ago. Clarion is last in the Western Division, recently ending a 13-game losing streak. The Golden Eagles wrap up their season on Saturday. 

Seniors Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) and Brandon Spain (Baltimore, Md./Glen Burnie) will be honored prior to tipoff, and will take part in a special presentation that celebrates IUP's seventh PSAC West title in the past eight seasons. 

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
• A win on Wednesday would be IUP's 16th straight, the most consecutive wins under HC Joe Lombardi during his tenure; IUP won 15 straight during its 33-3 national finalist season of 2009-10
• Lombardi boasts six win streaks of at least 12 games during his IUP tenure - 12 in 2008-09; 15 in 2009-10; 12 in 2010-11; 13 in 2013-14; 12 in 2015-16; and 15 this season
• A win over Clarion would also be IUP's 25th of the season, which would tie a program record for most regular season victories; IUP won 25 regular season games in 1993-94 and 2009-10
• Lombardi is 17-4 all-time against Clarion, including a 12-game win streak dating back to the 2010-11 season; IUP's last loss to Clarion was on Jan. 22, 2011 (73-68 in Indiana)
• The Crimson Hawks are 14-2 at home this year, including wins in each of their last seven dating back to Dec. 30
• IUP has won 22 straight PSAC West home games dating back to the 2014-15 season; The last home loss to a divisional opponent was Mercyhurst (65-62) on Dec. 3, 2014

IUP HAS DOMINATED THE PSAC WEST; 7 REGULAR SEASON TITLES IN 8 YEARS
Under HC Joe Lombardi, the Crimson Hawks have been the most successful team in the PSAC. Since Lombardi arrived in 2006, no other school has more PSAC tournament titles (three), division titles (seven), or tournament appearances (10). IUP has also earned berths in seven NCAA tournaments, including a pair of national championship game appearances in 2010 and 2015.  

#2 NATIONAL RANKING IS HIGHEST UNDER LOMBARDI SINCE 2010-11 PRESEASON
The Crimson Hawks have moved up in each of the last eightNABC Division II Coaches Top 25 polls, going from No. 21 at the end of December to No. 2 this week. It's the best team ranking for IUP since being voted No. 2 in the 2010-11 preseason Top 25. 

IUP BOASTS BALANCED SCORING; FIVE PLAYERS AVERAGE AT LEAST 9.5 POINTS PER GAME
The Crimson Hawks don't have one of the top scoring offenses in the PSAC, but they do boast balance. Five players average at least 9.5 points per game, including three who are scoring more than 13. So. F Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) leads the team with a 14.1 average, while So. G Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) averages 13.6 and Jr. G Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) scores 13.5. Jr. F Blake Danielak (Georgetown, Tex./Liberty Hill) is IUP's highest scorer off the bench, averaging 9.5 points with 12 double-digit scoring games. All eight players in IUP's main rotation have hit double-figures at least three times this year, and six different Crimson Hawks have led the team in scoring. 

CRIMSON HAWKS AMONG TOP FREE THROW SHOOTING TEAMS IN THE NATION
IUP is once again converting consistently from the foul line, leading the PSAC and ranking 9th in the nation at 78.7 percent (340-432). Over the last eight games, the Crimson Hawks have hit an impressive 82.1 percent (92-112) from the charity stripe, including a 10-10 performance at Edinboro. Lombardi is one of six players shooting over 80.0 percent, leading the team and ranking eighth in the PSAC at 81.8 (72-88) percent.

IUP PERFORMING WELL IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES, SHOOTING 83 PERCENT FROM THE LINE IN THE CLUTCH
Not only are the Crimson Hawks one of the top free throw shooting teams in the nation, but they're even better in the clutch. In the last five minutes of games this season, IUP's free throw shooting skyrockets to 82.8 percent (111-134). Out of the seven players who have attempted a free throw in that time frame, none are converting below 70.0 percent, while Lombardi leads the way with an 89.1 (41-46) conversion rate. 

CRIMSON HAWKS ALSO EFFICIENT FROM BEYOND THE ARC
IUP is hitting 41.1 percent (108-263) from three-point range over its last eight games, knocking down a season-best 16 triples on 36 attempts (44.4 pct) at UPJ. The Crimson Hawks are second in the PSAC with 9.5 made threes per game, and have knocked down at least 10 in a game 13 times. 

JACOBO DIAZ NAMED TO WATCH LIST FOR BEVO FRANCIS AWARD, GIVEN TO TOP PLAYER IN DII, DIII, NAIA
Diaz is considered one of the best players in Division II, as he was named to the Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award. The award is given to the top player from Division II, Division III, or the NAIA, with the season's first Watch List made up of 100 players. Diaz has averaged a double-double for all but five games this season, and averages team-bests of 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He also ranks 10th in the PSAC with a 52.4 field goal percentage. 

DEVON COTTRELL THE TOP SHOT BLOCKER IN SCHOOL HISTORY
R-Sr. F Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) ranks second in the PSAC with 45 blocks, a number that is currently tied for sixth in IUP single season history. Already the program's career leader with 196 blocks, he's on pace to have three of the top four shot blocking seasons in program history. Cottrell is also looking to become the eighth player in PSAC history with 200 career blocks.  

DANTE LOMBARDI ONE OF THE TOP THREE-POINT/ASSIST MEN IN THE PSAC
Lombardi is one of only three players in the PSAC with 50 three-pointers and 100 assists this season, ranking eight in the league with 62 threes and 5.1 assists per game. He has a three-pointer in 31 straight games dating back to last season and has 10 games this year of at least six assists, including a career-high 11 at Seton Hill. 

COBO's 10 DOUBLE-DOUBLES ARE SECOND IN PSAC, MOST FOR IUP PLAYER SINCE WEBB IN 2010-11
Diaz's 10 double-doubles this year are second most in the PSAC behind Shippensburg's Dustin Sleva (15). They're also the most for an IUP player since Darryl Webb posted 16 during his senior season of 2010-11, when he averaged 17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Diaz had a run of four straight double-double performances at the start of the season, and has 19 double-figure scoring and 14 double-figure rebounding games. 

NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
The season's first NCAA Division II Regional Rankings were released on Wednesday, with the Crimson Hawks sitting at No. 3. These rankings determine the 64 teams selected to the NCAA tournament, with the top eight in each region earning berths. The next regional rankings will be released in the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 22.