GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(5/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (15-1, 8-1 PSAC)
vs. Edinboro Fighting Scots (4-10, 1-8 PSAC)
Monday, January 21, 2019 | 3 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)
Edinboro M. Basketball Preview

COMING UP
Wednesday, January 23 vs. Cal U, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 26 at Clarion, 3 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 5 IUP men's basketball (15-1, 8-1 PSAC) looks to begin a new win streak Monday when they host Edinboro (4-10, 1-8 PSAC) at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. The Crimson Hawks rebounded from their first loss of the season with a 98-97 overtime win at East Stroudsburg Wednesday. The Fighting Scots have dropped six straight games, including an 87-79 loss to Wednesday night. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Sr. G Dante Lombardi scored a career-high 33 points and tied an IUP record with 8 3-pointers in the win at East Stroudsburg. Sr. F Jacobo Diaz finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds for his 9th double-double.
>> The Crimson Hawks overcame 24 turnovers by shooting 54.1 percent from the field and knocking down a season-best 14 3-pointers at ESU. 
>> IUP finished 5-0 against PSAC East teams this year. Those teams have a combined record of 55-28 (.663).
>> IUP improved to 9-2 in games following a loss over the last three seasons. The Crimson Hawks are 42-10 in games following a loss since the 2008-09 season. 
>> HC Joe Lombardi has a combined 17-8 record against Kutztown's Bernie Driscoll (318) and East Stroudsburg's Jeff Wilson (308), who rank 1-2 among the PSAC's in active career wins leaders. 
>> This is tied for the best 16-game start under Lombardi. IUP opened the 2008-09 season with a 15-1 record in its first 16 games, which included an 11-game win streak to start the year. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 10-0 at home this season and are outscoring opponents by 15.1 points per game. 
>> Lombardi carries a 19-8 all-time record against Edinboro, including 19 wins in the last 21 games since 2008-09.
>> The Fighting Scots ended IUP's 2017-18 season with a 79-63 win in the PSAC quarterfinals at the KCAC. 
>> IUP had won 11 straight home games against Edinboro dating back to the 2008-09 season.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIGHTING SCOTS
>> Edinboro is 4-10 overall and tied for last in the PSAC West standings with a 1-8 league record. 
>> EU has dropped six straight games with their last win coming December 18 against 1-14 Mansfield (82-73).
>> The Fighting Scots are 1-6 on the road this year with that lone win coming at Bloomsburg (97-94). 
>> They've given up 80 points eight times in the last 10 games, averaging just 69.0 offensively during that span.

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP dropped down to No. 5 in this week's NABC Top 25 after last 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 are still No. 3 in this week's D2SIDA Media Top 25 and among seven 1-loss teams in Division II.
>> 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.  

IUP BOASTS ONE OF TOUGHEST SCHEDULES IN DIVISION II
>> IUP has the 9th toughest schedule in Division II with an opponents win percent of .642 (154-86).
>> That leads the Atlantic Region with Slippery Rock the closest with the 42nd toughest (.594) schedule. 
>> The Crimson Hawks went 7-0 in their non-conference schedule that included two top 25 teams.
>> IUP's non-conference schedule included six Division II schools that are a combined 58-36 (.617) this season.
>> IUP had an average scoring margin of +17.0 in their seven non-conference games.
>> The Crimson Hawks are a combined 6-1 against teams currently in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region top 10 rankings, with wins over No. 3 Fairmont State, No. 4 Shippensburg, No. 5 Virginia State, No. 6 East Stroudsburg, No. 9 West Chester and No. 10 Concord. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OFF TO ONE OF BEST STARTS IN LOMBARDI ERA
>> At 15-1 the Crimson Hawks are tied for the best 16-game start in 13 years under HC Joe Lombardi. IUP opened the 2009-10 season with 15-1 record and ended up winning 18 of its first 19 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. 

LOMBARDI APPROACHING ANOTHER MILESTONE
>> At 290-98 (.747), Coach Lombardi is just 10 wins shy of becoming the 10th coach in PSAC history with 300 wins.
>> Already IUP's all-time victories leader, he's currently 3rd among active PSAC coaches in victories, trailing Kutztown's Bernie Driscoll (318) and East Stroudsburg's Jeff Wilson (308).

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 13 statistical categories, including 3rd in scoring (20.4 PPG) and 4th in rebounding (9.1 RPG). His 9 double-doubles are tied for 1st in the PSAC and 5th in Division II.
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring seven times this year and has nine different 20-point performances. He scored a season-high 29 points at Slippery Rock and against Westminster, and had 28 at East Stroudsburg.
>> 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 16.1 PPG average is 3rd on the team and 19th in the PSAC. His 5.3 APG is 2nd in the league. 
>> Lombardi is tied for 3rd in the PSAC with 3.0 3-pointers per game and 14th with a 36.1 3FG%.
>> He scored a career-high 33 points and tied an IUP record with 8 3-pointers in the win at East Stroudsburg. 

MALIK MILLER PROVING TO BE VALUABLE BACKCOURT SCORER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 2nd on the team and 13th in the PSAC with 17.0 PPG.
>> He has six 20-point games, hitting the mark three times in the last five 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.