FAIRMONT, W.Va. – IUP sophomore guard
Dante Lombardi (Indiana, Pa./The Kiski School) posted career-highs of 26 points and 12 assists to lead the Crimson Hawks to a 94-80 win over Kutztown in the opening round of the NCAA Atlantic Regional on Saturday night at Joe Retton Arena.
The fourth-seeded Crimson Hawks improve to 28-3 overall on the year, and advance to the program's 12th all-time regional semifinal appearance.
Lombardi shot 9-of-12 from the floor, pacing a hot-shooting Crimson Hawks team that put together arguably their best offensive performance of the season.
IUP shot nearly 58 percent from the floor, drained 14-of-24 from three-point range, and converted 14-of-16 from the foul line. The 94-point output is the second most in a game this year for the Crimson Hawks.
Lombardi didn't have the only double-double, as sophomore
Jacobo Diaz (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain/CBA Gran Canaria) finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds for his 14th on the season.
Balanced scoring helps Crimson Hawks
For the seventh time this year, IUP boasted five players who scored in double-figures. Joining Lombardi and Diaz were senior forward
Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) with 16 points, junior forward
Blake Danielak (Georgetown, Tex./Liberty Hill) with 15 points, and junior guard
Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) with 14 points.
The Crimson Hawks are 6-1 this year when five players score at least 10 points each.
IUP races out to early lead
The Crimson Hawks dominated from the outset, getting their lead up to 10 at 22-12 before eight minutes had ticked away. The lead stayed at double-figures throughout most of the first half, reaching as much as 13 points, before a late Kutztown run made it a 45-39 ballgame at halftime.
IUP shot 61.5 percent in the opening 20 minutes, making 7-of-13 from beyond the arc.
Kutztown's late rally thwarted by Crimson Hawks
IUP again took a double-digit lead in the second half, before the Golden Bears (26-4) cut their deficit to five at 72-67 with under eight minutes to play.
The Crimson Hawks responded with three-pointers from Danielak, Diaz, and Lombardi on successive possessions to extend their lead back to 10, outlasting Kutztown down the stretch to secure the win.
One for the record books
The 14 three-pointers set a single game NCAA tournament record for the Crimson Hawks, breaking the mark of 13 set in 2000 against Charleston and 2011 against Bowie State.
Individually, Lombardi's 26 points (tied for ninth), 12 assists (second), and Diaz's 14 rebounds (tied for fifth) are all among the top 10 single NCAA tournament game performances in program history.
Up next
IUP will face top-seed Fairmont State (30-2) on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. in the regional semifinals. The Falcons advanced with a 93-67 win over eight-seed Bowie State in the opening round.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP Men's Basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPMens_Bball.
