GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(W1) IUP Crimson Hawks (27-2, 21-1 PSAC)
vs. (E2) Shippensburg Raiders (24-3, 19-3 PSAC)
Saturday, March 4, 2017 | 3:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex
IUP Championship Page | IUPAthletics.com

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 top-seeded Crimson Hawks host Shippensburg in the semifinals of the PSAC Championships this Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. IUP earned home court advantage throughout the tournament and the right to host championship weekend after a 69-53 quarterfinal win over Mercyhurst. Shippensburg is the No. 2 seed from the PSAC East and advanced with an 85-71 win over East Stroudsburg. This is a rematch of Shippensburg's 87-80 regular season win over IUP in the KCAC on Dec. 3. 

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
• IUP is making its 30th all-time appearance in the PSAC tournament, including it's 10th straight under HC Joe Lombardi; IUP also made 10 straight PSAC tournaments from 1993-02
• Lombardi is 15-6 all-time in PSAC tournament games dating back to 2008; He has a 4-2 record in the semifinal round, and is 11-1 at home
• IUP's current 18-game win streak is the third longest in program history, and the longest in the Lombardi era; IUP won 24 straight in 1993-94 and 21 in 1994-95
• Lombardi is 7-4 all-time against Shippensburg, including a 2-1 record against former assistant Chris Fite; Fite and the Raiders defeated IUP 87-80 back on Dec. 3
• The Crimson Hawks are 16-2 at home this season, outscoring opponents by 9.6 points per game 
• Shippensburg is 9-2 away from home this season, compared to 15-1 at home; Those two losses came at Millersville (82-65) and West Chester (93-70)

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 eight NABC 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 9.6 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 9.7 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 13.5 and Jr. G Anthony Glover (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) averages 13.3. Jr. F Blake Danielak (Georgetown, Tex./Liberty Hill) is IUP's highest scorer off the bench, averaging 9.6 points with 14 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. 

COBO NAMED PSAC WEST ATHLETE OF THE YEAR, LOMBARDI NAMED DIVISION'S TOP COACH
Diaz became the third straight IUP player to be named PSAC West Athlete of the Year, as the league announced its awards on Thursday. Coach Lombardi was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year, the third conference honor of his career. "Cobo" leads the team with 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, is second in the PSAC with 12 double-doubles, and 10th with a 52.5 FG%. 

COBO's 12 DOUBLE-DOUBLES ARE SECOND IN PSAC, MOST FOR IUP PLAYER SINCE WEBB IN 2010-11
Diaz's 12 double-doubles this year are second most in the PSAC behind Shippensburg's Dustin Sleva (17). 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 22 double-figure scoring and 16 double-figure rebounding games. 

DANTE LOMBARDI AND ANTHONY GLOVER ALSO EARN ALL-PSAC HONORS
The younger Lombardi and Glover also earned All-PSAC West honors, landing on the first and second teams, respectively. It's Lombardi's second straight postseason honor after being named Freshman of the Year last year. This is Glover's first career award.

TWO CRIMSON HAWKS AMONG THE BEST IN PSAC IN THREE-POINTERS MADE
Lombardi and Glover rank eighth and 11th, respectively, in the PSAC in three-pointers made. Lombardi's 69 and Glover's 67 threes are both in the top 20 in single season program history, and could threaten to break into the top five all-time (Jason Bullock, 86, 1994-95). 

THIS YEAR'S IUP TEAM THREATENING PROGRAM'S THREE-POINT RECORD
Led by Glover and Lombardi, the Crimson Hawks are close to breaking the program's single season record for three-pointers made. IUP has made 275 through 29 games, just seven away from tying the record of 282 set during the national finalist year of 2014-15. The Crimson Hawks average 9.5 threes made per game. 

LOMBARDI ONE OF THE TOP THREE-POINT/ASSIST MEN IN THE PSAC
Lombardi is one of only two players in the PSAC with 60 three-pointers and 150 assists this season, ranking eighth in the league with 69 threes and sixth with 5.2 assists per game. He has a three-pointer in 34 straight games dating back to last season and has 12 games this year of at least six assists, including a career-high 11 at Seton Hill.

DEVON COTTRELL IS THE TOP SHOT BLOCKER IN SCHOOL HISTORY
R-Sr. F Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) ranks third in the PSAC with 53 blocks, a number that is currently fourth in IUP single season history. Already the program's career leader with 204 blocks, he boasts three of the top four single season shot blocking seasons in program history. Cottrell also became the eighth player in PSAC history with 200 career blocks.  

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 16th in the nation at 77.4 percent (373-482). Lombardi is one of seven players shooting over 71.0 percent, leading the team and ranking ninth in the PSAC at 81.4 (79-97) 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. 

NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
IUP remained No. 2 in this week's NCAA Division II Regional Rankings. These rankings determine the 64 teams selected to the NCAA tournament, with the top eight in each region earning berths. The No. 1 seed in each region hosts the eight-team regional tournament. The full tournament bracket will be released on Sunday night.