GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(3/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (10-0, 3-0 PSAC)
vs. West Chester Golden Rams (6-4, 2-1 PSAC)
Tuesday, December 18, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex (4,000)
*Rankings reflect NABC/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

HOW TO FOLLOW
Stats: IUPAthletics.com | Statbroadcast
Watch: IUPathletics.com/watch | IUP-TV
Video App: PSAC Sports Network
Radio: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Audio App: U92.5 Sports App (Android & iPhone)
Social Media: Twitter | @IUP_MBB

GAME PREVIEWS
IUP Game Notes (PDF)
West Chester M. Basketball page

COMING UP
Wednesday, January 2 vs. Gannon, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 5 vs. Pitt-Johnstown, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 3 IUP men's basketball (10-0, 3-0 PSAC) returns home for its final game before the new year when they host West Chester (6-4, 2-1 PSAC) Tuesday night at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks get back to PSAC play after an 83-64 win at No. 18 Fairmont State in West Virginia Friday night to improve to 10-0 on the year. West Chester hasn't played since Dec. 8, falling at Slippery Rock 78-64. That loss ended a four-game win streak for the Golden Rams. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks won their 10th straight game to open the season with their 83-64 win at Fairmont State. Sr. G Dante Lombardi had a team-high 22 points, Jr. G Malik Miller added 20, and Sr. F Jacobo Diaz posted his 5th double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds. 
>> The 64 points by Fairmont State was a season-low. IUP also limited the Falcons to a season-low in last year's 74-59 win at the Kovalchick Complex.
>> IUP improved to 19-7 against non-conference opponents in the regular season since 2014-15. 
>> It was IUP's third win over a ranked opponent this year, with two of those coming in each of the last two games including the 88-77 home victory over No. 11 Shippensburg the weekend prior.
>> This is the Crimson Hawks' best start to a year since opening the 2013-14 season with 14 straight wins.
>> IUP HC Joe Lombardi is 8-5 against West Chester but has lost three straight meetings -- 93-78 at WCU ('17-18 reg), 90-89 (OT) at WCU ('15-16 post), and 86-76 at the KCAC ('15-16 reg).  
>> Lombardi is 4-1 against West Chester at home, including a 92-76 win in the 2013 PSAC semifinals. 
>> Lombardi is 63-25 (.716) all-time against PSAC East teams, including a 55-21 (.724) mark in the regular season. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GOLDEN RAMS
>> West Chester is 6-4 overall and 2-1 in the PSAC. That 2-1 league record has come against Western Division teams, defeating Edinboro 88-37 and California 91-64, and falling to Slippery Rock 78-64.
>> The Golden Rams' loss to Slippery Rock ended a four-game win streak that also included wins over Holy Family (85-75) and Williamson School of Trades (97-34). 
>> West Chester won six of seven games after losses to West Virginia Wesleyan (80-72) and No. 2 West Liberty (94-80) at the season-opening PSAC/MEC Challenge. 
>> They are 1-4 in road/neutral site games including a pair of double-digit losses. 
>> Despite ranking in the bottom half of the PSAC in FG%, 3FG%, and FT% this year, West Chester averages 80.8 points and has a scoring margin of +11.6

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP has been ranked No. 3 in both the NABC and D2SIDA Media Top 25 polls for four straight weeks. IUP opened the year at No. 8 in the coaches and No. 6 in the media preseason polls.
>> The Crimson Hawks received all six first place votes in the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings for the fourth straight release. 
>> The Crimson Hawks also received national attention from preseason magazines, earning a No. 3 ranking by Street & Smith's and a No. 13 ranking from the Division II Bulletin. 

IUP CARRIES STRONG NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE IN 2018-19
>> IUP put together arguably the strongest non-conference schedule in the Atlantic Region, including Concord and Fairmont State (MEC), Virginia State and Bowie State (CIAA), USCiences (CACC) and Le Moyne (NE10). 
>> Those teams combined for a 121-60 (.669) record last year with a pair of No. 1 regionally ranked teams.
>> This year they have combined for a 39-24 overall record, including 17-5 by the MEC schools. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OFF TO ONE OF BEST STARTS IN LOMBARDI ERA
>> This marks the third 10-0 start under HC Joe Lombardi in his 13 years at IUP (2009-10, 2013-14).
>> IUP's best start under Lombardi came during the 2013-14 season with 14 straight wins to open the year.
>> The Crimson Hawks began the 2009-10 season with 11 straight victories en route to a national finalist finish.
>> This is Lombardi's eighth win streak of more than 10 games. His longest was 18 straight wins in 2016-17.

JACOBO DIAZ ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN DIVISION II
>> Sr. F Jacobo Diaz is one of the top players in the PSAC, the Atlantic Region, and in Division II. 
>> He ranks in the top 10 in the PSAC in 14 statistical categories, including 6th in scoring (19.6 PPG) and 4th in rebounding (9.1 RPG). His 5 double-doubles are for 1st in the conference. 
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring five times this year and has five different 20-point performances. He scored a season-high 29 points in 31 minutes against Westminster.
>> Diaz has been named PSAC West Athlete of the Week twice this year (Nov. 12, Nov. 26). 

DANTE LOMBARDI ONE OF TOP POINT GUARDS IN PSAC
>> Sr. G Dante Lombardi is the only player in the PSAC averaging better than 15 points and 5 assists per game. 
>> His 17.2 PPG average is 2nd on the team and 14th in the PSAC. His 5.2 APG is 4th in the league. 
>> Lombardi is also 4th in the PSAC with 3.3 3-pointers per game and 8th with a 42.3 3FG%. 
>> He has four 20-point games this year, hitting the mark three times in the last four games. 

MALIK MILLER STEPPING UP IN FIRST YEAR AS A STARTER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 3rd on the team with 16.5 PPG, posting three 20-point games.
>> He's one of only two players on the team (Diaz) to reach double-figures in scoring in all 10 games this year. 
>> He scored a career-high 24 points in the win over No. 16 Virginia State.  
>> Miller is 3rd on the team behind Lombardi and Diaz with 34.8 minutes per game.

WILLEM BRANDWIJK ADDING PRESENCE IN THE POST
>> Sr. F Willem Brandwijk is averaging 9.6 PPG and 6.7 RPG in his 2nd year with the program. 
>> He's coming off a career-high 15 rebounds (13 def.) in Friday's win at Fairmont State.
>> Brandwijk has scored in double-figures five times, including a season-high 14 points against Westminster. 
>> He leads the team with a 58.7 FG% (37-63) and also has a team-best 9 blocks.