GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(3/3) IUP Crimson Hawks (12-0, 5-0 PSAC)
vs. Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats (9-3, 4-1 PSAC)
Saturday, January 5, 2019 | 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)
Pitt-Johnstown M. Basketball Page

COMING UP
Saturday, January 5 vs. Pitt-Johnstown, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 9 at Mercyhurst, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 3 IUP men's basketball (12-0, 5-0 PSAC) starts a competitive stretch when they host Pitt-Johnstown (9-3, 4-1 PSAC) Saturday night at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks are out to one of the best starts in program history and are coming off a 78-57 home win over Gannon Wednesday night. The Mountains Cats are tied for second place in the PSAC West and have won four straight games, including a 71-70 comeback win over Clarion this week. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Crimson Hawks won their 12th straight to open the season with their 21-point win over the Golden Knights. Jr. G Malik Miller scored a career-high 26 points and Sr. F Jacobo Diaz added 21. 
>> It was IUP's third win by more than 20 points this year and first since defeating USciences by 33 in November.
>> The 12-game win streak by the Crimson Hawks is their best start since going 14-0 in 2013-14.
>> It's also the seventh win streak of at least 12 games in the Joe Lombardi era. The longest was 18 straight wins during the 2016-17 campaign. 
>> Lombardi and the Crimson Hawks have now won six straight games in their first action after winter break. 
>> He is also 11-2 in divisional openers during his time at IUP. Those losses came in back-to-back years against Mercyhurst (2014-15 and 2015-16). 
>> Lombardi carries a 12-3 record against Pitt-Johnstown, including 11-1 since UPJjoined the PSAC in 2013. 
>> The Crimson Hawks' scoring margin in those 11 wins is 12.3 points
>> The Mountain Cats' only win over IUP during their time in the PSAC came last February at the KCAC, 65-63.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN CATS
>> Pitt-Johnstown is 9-3 overall and tied for 2nd in the PSAC West with a 4-1 league record. 
>> The Mountain Cats have won four straight games, with three of those coming over conference opponents.
>> They are 3-3 away from home this year and 1-1 in true road games. Although, all four of their neutral site matchups have come at the KCAC as they've participated in both of IUP's tournaments. 
>> UPJ leads the PSAC and is ranked 16th in Division II with 89.0 points per game. The Mountain Cats have scored 100 points in a game twice and have two outings of 99 points. 
>> The Mountain Cats also lead the league in FG% (.515), defensive FG% (.389), assists per game (21.3) and assist-turnover ratio (1.52).
>> Five players average at least 9.0 points per game, led by Josh Wise at 19.0.

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 five straight weeks. IUP 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 received all six first place votes in the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region rankings for the fifth 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 42-28 (.600) overall record, including 17-5 by the MEC schools. 

CRIMSON HAWKS OFF TO ONE OF BEST STARTS IN LOMBARDI ERA
>> This marks the third start of at least 10-0 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 seventh win streak of more than 12 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 13 statistical categories, including 4th in scoring (20.2 PPG) and 5th in rebounding (8.7 RPG). His 6 double-doubles are 1st in the conference. 
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring six times this year and has seven 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 one of two PSAC players averaging better than 15 points and 5 assists per game. 
>> His 15.8 PPG average is 3rd on the team and 17th in the PSAC. His 5.1 APG is tied for 2nd in the league. 
>> Lombardi is also 5th in the PSAC with 3.0 3-pointers per game and 9th with a 39.1 3FG%. 
>> He has four 20-point games this year, hitting the mark three times in the last six games. 

MALIK MILLER PROVING TO BE VALUABLE BACKCOURT SCORER
>> Jr. G Malik Miller is 2nd on the team and 15th in the PSAC with 16.3 PPG. He has four 20-point games, including a season-high 26 points in the win over Gannon. 
>> He opened the year with 10 straight double-digit scoring games.
>> Miller is averaging 19.7 PPG against ranked opponents, including 24 points against Virginia State. 

ARMONI FOSTER HAS TURNED INTO VALUABLE SIXTH MAN IN FIRST YEAR
>> R-Fr. G Armoni Foster is 4th on the team in scoring at 8.8 PPG as the top player off the bench. 
>> He scored a season-high 24 points on 6-9 FGs and 10-12 FTs in the 80-75 win over West Chester.
>> Foster is averaging 11.8 PPG over the last six games with four double-figure scoring games.