GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(5/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (14-1, 7-1 PSAC)
at East Stroudsburg Warriors (10-4, 7-1 PSAC)
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 | 8 p.m.
East Stroudsburg, Pa. | Koehler Fieldhouse
*Rankings reflect NABC/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

HOW TO FOLLOW
Stats: ESUWarriors.com | Stretch Internet
Watch: ESUWarriors.com | Stretch Internet
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)
East Stroudsburg Preview

COMING UP
Saturday, January 19 vs. Edinboro, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 23 vs. Cal U, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 5 IUP men's basketball (14-1, 7-1 PSAC) looks to rebound from its first loss of the year with a tough road matchup at East Stroudsburg (10-4, 7-1 PSAC) Wednesday. Tipoff at Koehler Fieldhouse is scheduled for 8 p.m. The Crimson Hawks dropped a 74-69 decision at Slippery Rock Saturday, ending their 14-game win streak to start the season. The Warriors last played a week ago, defeating Lock Haven 83-65 to end a 2-game slide.  

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Sr. F Jacobo Diaz posted his 8th double-double of the season with 29 points and 14 rebounds Saturday at Slippery Rock. IUP shot a season-low 35 percent from the field and turned the ball over 15 times. 
>> IUP trailed by 13 points (44-31) at halftime, its largest deficit at any point in any game this season.
>> It was just the 7th loss for HC Joe Lombardi in 30 career games against Slippery Rock.
>> The loss ended IUP's 14-game win streak to start the year, which is tied for the best start in the Lombardi era. 
>> The 14-game win streak is tied for the fourth best in program history and the second best under Lombardi. 
>> Lombardi carries an 8-4 all-time record against East Stroudsburg. He's 3-2 against the Warriors in Koehler Fieldhouse, picking up a 78-63 win on his last trip during the 2014-15 season.
>> Lombardi saw his 4-game win streak against East Stroudsburg come to an end last year, falling at home to the Warriors 85-82 on January 10.
>> The Crimson Hawks are 4-0 against teams from the PSAC East this year with a scoring margin of +6.5.
>> IUP is 63-25 (.716) against PSAC East teams in the 13-year Lombardi era. Since the 2013-14 the Crimson Hawks are 31-7 against teams from that division, including 15-3 on the road. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WARRIORS
>> East Stroudsburg is 10-4 overall and a half-game off the lead in the PSAC East with a 7-1 conference record.
>> The Warriors ended a recent two-game slide with an 83-65 win over Lock Haven last Wednesday.
>> ESU is 5-0 in games at the Koehler Fieldhouse this season, including wins over Mercyhurst (78-61) and Slippery Rock (82-66) to start December. 
>> The Warriors are 3rd in the PSAC in scoring at 82.9 points per game, going over 80 points eight times. 
>> They are 2nd in Division II with 22.07 turnovers forced per game and are 8th with a +5.6 turnover margin.

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP dropped down to No. 5 in this week's NABC Top 25 after Saturday's loss at Slippery Rock. The Crimson Hawks had been ranked No. 3 in the coaches poll and D2SIDA Media poll for six straight weeks.
>> They opened the year at No. 8 in the coaches and No. 6 in the media preseason polls. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 3-0 against teams ranked in the top 25 - (16/15) Virginia State, 69-67; (11/13) Shippensburg, 88-77; and at (RV/18) Fairmont State, 83-64. 
>> IUP is still No. 1 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings, picking up four of the six first place votes.  
>> The Crimson Hawks 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 WENT 7-0 AGAINST STRONG NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
>> The Crimson Hawks wrapped up a 7-0 non-conference schedule that included two top 25 teams, and a group of six Division II schools that went a combined 121-60 (.669) a season ago. 
>> Those six Division II schools are a combined 55-34 (.618) this season, including a combined 20-7 record by MEC schools Concord and Fairmont State. 
>> Three schools are ranked in the top six of the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region poll - Fairmont State at No. 3, Virginia State at No. 5 and Concord at No. 10 
>> IUP had an average scoring margin of +17.0 in their seven non-conference games.

CRIMSON HAWKS OFF TO ONE OF BEST STARTS IN LOMBARDI ERA
>> With a 14-1 record, this is tied for the best 15-game start in 13 years under HC Joe Lombardi. The Crimson Hawks started the 2009-10 and 2013-14 seasons with 14-1 records.
>> Eight times in 13 seasons under Lombardi the Crimson Hawks have at least 13 wins in their first 15 games. 
>> The 14 consecutive wins to open the year marked the fourth win streak of at least 14 games under Lombardi. His longest win streak was 18 games during the 2016-17 season. 

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 4th in scoring (19.9 PPG) and 5th in rebounding (8.9 RPG). His 8 double-doubles are tied for 1st in the PSAC and 8th in Division II.
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring seven times this year and has eight different 20-point performances. He scored a season-high 29 points at Slippery Rock and against Westminster.
>> Diaz was 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 15.0 PPG average is 3rd on the team and 22nd in the PSAC. His 5.3 APG is 2nd in the league. 
>> Lombardi is tied for 6th in the PSAC with 2.7 3-pointers per game and 19th with a 33.9 3FG%. 
>> He has four 20-point games this year, including a career-high 27 points against Shippensburg. 

MALIK MILLER PROVING TO BE VALUABLE BACKCOURT SCORER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 2nd on the team and 12th in the PSAC with 17.2 PPG.
>> He has six 20-point games, hitting the mark three times in the last four games. He scored a career-high 26 points in the win at Gannon and followed that with 25 points vs. UPJ and 21 points at Mercyhurst. 
>> Miller is averaging 19.7 PPG against ranked opponents, including 24 points against Virginia State.