GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(4/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (18-1, 11-1 PSAC)
at Seton Hill Griffins (5-13, 3-9 PSAC)
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | 7:30 p.m.
Greensburg, Pa. | McKenna Center
*Rankings reflect NABC/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

HOW TO FOLLOW
Stats: Athletics.SetonHill.edu | Stretch Internet
Watch: Athletics.SetonHill.edu | 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)
Seton Hill M. Basketball Home Page

COMING UP
Saturday, February 2 vs. Mercyhurst, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 6 vs. Slippery Rock, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 4 IUP men's basketball (18-1, 11-1 PSAC) finishes up its first half of divisional play Wednesday night when they play at Seton Hill (5-13, 3-9 PSAC). Tipoff at the McKenna Center in Greensburg is 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks are on a 4-game win streak, including Saturday's 89-53 win at Clarion. The Griffins are coming off an 85-70 loss at Pitt-Johnstown last weekend and will be playing their first home game in two weeks. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Sr. G Dante Lombardi scored a team-high 23 points while Sr. Fs Jacobo Diaz and Willem Brandwijk each posted double-doubles in Saturday's big win at Clarion.
>> It was the sixth straight double-double for Diaz, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes. 
>> The Crimson Hawks hit a season-high 15 3-pointers and tied a season-low with just 9 turnovers. 
>> It was the third straight win of more than 20 points and the sixth of the season for IUP. 
>> IUP has scored 80 points in four straight games and is averaging 92.5 PPG during that span. 
>> Lombardi enters Wednesday with 504 assists, 9 away from passing Devante Chance for 1st in IUP history.
>> At 18-1, this is tied for the best start under HC Joe Lombardi. IUP opened the 2009-10 season with 18 wins in its first 19 games en route to a regional championship and national title game appearance.
>> With a win on Wednesday night, the Crimson Hawks would clinch the program's 32nd PSAC tournament appearance. IUP has made 11 straight PSAC tournament's under Lombardi dating back to the 2007-08 season.
>> Lombardi is 13-1 lifetime against Seton Hill, including a current 4-game win streak.
>> The only loss to Seton Hill came on February 24, 2016 in Greensburg (91-83).
>> Diaz is averaging 13.8 PPG and 14.3 RPG with two double-doubles in his last four matchups with Seton Hill, while Lombardi has averages of 14.5 PPG and 7.3 APG during that span. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRIFFINS 
>> Seton Hill is 5-13 overall and currently 7th in the PSAC West with a 3-9 conference record. 
>> The Griffins have won back-to-back games once this season, defeating Cal (72-70) and Bloomsburg (78-74) last week. They losing streaks of 4 games and 3 games (twice). 
>> They are 2-6 at home this season with an average scoring margin of -13.8. Seton Hill's two home wins came over Wheeling Jesuit (92-81) on Dec. 11 and Edinboro (77-73) on Jan. 5. 

CRIMSON HAWKS ONE OF TOP TEAMS IN THE NATION
>> IUP remained at No. 4 for the second straight week in the NABC Top 25. 
>> The Crimson Hawks have been ranked in the top eight all year, including a six-week stretch at No. 3. 
>> They are No. 3 in the D2SIDA Media Top 25 for the ninth straight week. 
>> IUP is among seven Division II teams with 1 or fewer losses this season. 
>> 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 all six first place votes. 

IUP BOASTS ONE OF TOUGHEST SCHEDULES IN DIVISION II
>> IUP has the 12th toughest schedule in Division II with an opponents win percent of .604 (204-134).
>> That leads the Atlantic Region with Saint Augustine's the closest with the 27th toughest (.588) 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 72-41 (.637) 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 Virginia State, No. 4 Fairmont State, No. 6 West Chester, No. 7 Shippensburg, No. 10 East Stroudsburg and No. 10 Concord. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OFF TO ONE OF BEST STARTS IN LOMBARDI ERA
>> At 18-1 the Crimson Hawks have the most wins in their first 19 games of any Joe Lombardi team. 
>> The 2009-10 national finalist team started 18-1 before a Feb. 7 road loss to Clarion. That was IUP's final regular season loss of the season, winning the PSAC and Atlantic Region before falling in the Division II title game. 
>> The 14 consecutive wins to open this 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 293-98 (.749), Coach Lombardi is just 7 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 (310).
>> Lombardi is a combined 17-8 against Driscoll and Wilson in his 13 years at IUP. 

JACOBO DIAZ ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN DIVISION II
>> Sr. F Jacobo Diaz ranks in the top 10 in the PSAC in 14 statistical categories, including 3rd in scoring (19.7 PPG) and 2nd in rebounding (9.7 RPG). His 12 double-doubles lead the PSAC and are tied for 3rd in Division II.
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring eight 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
>> With 504 career assists, Sr. G Dante Lombardi is 9 shy of passing Devante Chance as IUP's all-time leader. 
>> He's the only player in the PSAC averaging better than 15 points and 5 assists per game. 
>> His 16.2 PPG average is 19th in the PSAC. His 5.6 APG is 2nd in the league and 35th in Division II. 

MALIK MILLER PROVING TO BE VALUABLE BACKCOURT SCORER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 2nd on the team and 17th in the PSAC with 16.7 PPG.
>> He has six 20-point games, hitting the mark three times in the last eight games. 
>> Miller is averaging 19.7 PPG against ranked opponents, including 24 points against Virginia State.