GAMEDAY CENTRAL
(W1) IUP Crimson Hawks (26-2, 19-2 PSAC)
vs. (W4) Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cats (17-12, 11-10 PSAC)
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 | 7:30 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Complex (4,000)

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 Preview

COMING UP
Saturday, March 9 PSAC semifinals (at highest West seed)
Sunday, March 10 PSAC championship (at highest West seed)

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
Top-seeded IUP men's basketball (26-2, 19-2 PSAC) starts its postseason Wednesday when they host fourth-seeded Pitt-Johnstown (17-12, 11-10 PSAC) in the PSAC quarterfinals at the Kovalchick Complex. Tipoff is 7:30 PM. The Crimson Hawks earned a first round bye in the conference tournament after winning their fourth straight regular season division title. The Mountain Cats advanced with a 70-60 first round win over Gannon Monday. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP is making its 34th all-time PSAC tournament apperance and 12th straight since 2008.
>> IUP is 36-24 (.600) all-time in PSAC tournament games dating back to 1960. The program has won nine conference tournament championships, including three under HC Joe Lombardi (2010, 2011, 2013).
>> The Crimson Hawks are the PSAC West regular season champions for the fourth straight time and ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
>> IUP is the only program in PSAC history to win four straight outright regular season division titles. The program has done it twice - 2010-13 and 2016-19.
>> IUP is 20-7 in home PSAC tournament games, including 7-3 at the Kovalchick Complex.
>> IUP carries a 15-1 home record this season with a +17.9 scoring margin.
>> 13 of IUP's 15 home wins have been by double-figures, including six by more than 20 points.
>> The Crimson Hawks swept the regular season series with Pitt-Johnstown, including an 86-73 home win Jan. 5.
>> IUP outscored the Mountain Cats an average of 83.0-70.0 during the regular season with a combined 20 3-pointers in the two games. IUP forced UPJ into 43 turnovers and had a +6.5 turnover margin.
>> Lombardi is 14-3 against Pitt-Johnstown, including a 13-1 mark since UPJ joined the PSAC in 2013. 
>> UPJ's only win during that span came last February at the KCAC (65-63).

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN CATS
>> Pitt-Johnstown is 17-12 overall and is the fourth seed in the division with an 11-10 conference record. 
>> The Mountain Cats defeated Gannon 70-60 in the first round to advance to the PSAC quarterfinals. 
>> This is the fifth straight PSAC tournament appearance for Pitt-Johnstown dating back to the school's second year in the league. The Mountain Cats have never advanced past the PSAC quarterfinal round.
>> UPJ has won three straight games by an average of 12.3 points. 

CRIMSON HAWKS REMAIN AT NO. 1 IN NCAA ATLANTIC REGION RANKINGS
>> The NCAA released its second set of Division II regional rankings last Wednesday with the Crimson Hawks retaining the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic that they debuted at last week. 
>> These rankings determine selection and seeding to the 2019 NCAA Division II Championships in March. 
>> The rankings will have one more in-season update before the field of 64 is released Sunday, March 10. 

IUP WON PROGRAM'S 16TH ALL-TIME PSAC WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
>> The Crimson Hawks won their fourth straight PSAC West regular season title with their 87-59 win at Edinboro last week. It's the ninth title in the last 10 seasons under HC Joe Lombardi.
>> The Crimson Hawks are the only team in PSAC West history to win outright division titles four straight years. IUP has accomplished that feat twice - 2010-13 and 2016-19.
>> IUP's 16 division titles are the most in conference history. Clarion is 2nd with 14 and Cal U has won 12. 

IUP BOASTS ONE OF TOUGHEST SCHEDULES IN DIVISION II
>> IUP has the 25th toughest schedule in Division II with an opponents win percent of .565 (418-322).
>> 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 113-58 (.661) this season.
>> IUP had an average scoring margin of +17.0 in their seven non-conference games.
>> The Crimson Hawks are a combined 6-2 against teams currently in the top 10 of the NCAA Atlantic Region rankings including No. 3 Virginia State, No. 4 Mercyhurst, No. 5 Fairmont State, No. 6 East Stroudsburg, No. 7 West Chester, No. 9 Slippery Rock and No. 10 Shippensburg. 

CRIMSON HAWKS PUT TOGETHER ONE OF BEST REGULAR SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
>> IUP finished the regular season with a 26-2 overall record, tying the program record for regular season wins.
>> The Crimson Hawks broke the record during the 2016-17 season with an identical 26-2 record.
>> Other top regular seasons include 25-2 in 2009-10 and 24-1 records in 1992-93 and 1993-94.

LOMBARDI IS FASTEST PSAC COACH TO 300 WINS
>> Coach Lombardi won his 300th career game Wednesday at Edinboro, becoming the 10th coach in PSAC history to reach the 300-win milestone.
>> At 13 seasons and 399 career games, he's the fastest PSAC coach to get to 300 wins. 
>> Already IUP's all-time victories leader, he's currently 3rd among active PSAC coaches in victories, trailing Kutztown's Bernie Driscoll (323) and East Stroudsburg's Jeff Wilson (318).
>> Lombardi is a combined 17-8 against Driscoll and Wilson in his 13 years at IUP. 

THE IUP OFFENSE PUTTING UP ITS BEST NUMBERS UNDER LOMBARDI
>> The Crimson Hawks are 5th in the PSAC with an 80.9 scoring average.
>> Their current scoring clip is the best in 13 seasons under Lombardi. The 2015-16 and 2016-17 teams both averaged 77.7 points. 
>> IUP has 15 80-point games this season, scoring 106 against Westminster and 102 against Edinboro. 
>> IUP's 48.4 FG% is its best since shooting 48.2 in 2015-16. The Crimson Hawks have shot at least 50 percent in 14 of their 28 games, including a season-best 56.5 percent (35-62) at Fairmont State.

JACOBO DIAZ ONE OF THE TOP PLAYERS IN DIVISION II
>> Sr. F Jacobo Diaz ranks in the top 10 in the PSAC in 13 statistical categories, including 6th in scoring (18.9 PPG) and 3rd in rebounding (9.1 RPG). His 14 double-doubles lead the PSAC and are tied for 14th in Division II.
>> Diaz was named PSAC West co-Athlete of the Week last Monday after averaging 18.0 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 62.5 percent floor in games against Clarion and Cal. It's his four PSAC weekly honor of the year.
>> Diaz was named to the top 50 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award, which is given annually to the best player from Division II, Division III, NIAA or the NJCAA.
>> Diaz has led IUP in scoring nine times this year and has 12 different 20-point performances. He scored a season-high 29 points at Slippery Rock and against Westminster, and had 28 at East Stroudsburg.

DANTE LOMBARDI ONE OF TOP POINT GUARDS IN PSAC
>> Sr. G Dante Lombardi is IUP's all-time assist leader with 552 career dishes. That number is 7th most among active Division II players and ranks 10th in PSAC history.
>> He has at least 6 assists in 13 games this year, including 12 against UPJ and 10 in back-to-back games against Edinboro and Cal. 
>> Lombardi is the only player in the PSAC averaging better than 15 points and 5 assists per game. 
>> His 16.8 PPG average is 13th in the PSAC. His 5.7 APG is 2nd in the league and 36th in Division II. 

MALIK MILLER IS A VALUABLE SCORING OPTION
>> Jr. G Malik Miller has turned himself into a big time scorer as a first year starter, ranking 2nd on the team and 16th in the PSAC with a 16.6 PPG average.
>> Miller has led IUP in scoring a team-best 11 times this year, including a recent run of three straight games against Mercyhurst, Slippery Rock and Gannon.
>> He has 10 20-point games this year, including a career-high 26 points twice - January 2 vs. Gannon and February 27 at Edinboro
>> Miller is 2nd on the team and 17th in the PSAC with 62 made 3-pointers. He hit a season-high 6 in his games against Gannon and Edinboro, and has at least 3 3's in a game nine times.