MATCHUP
(9/3) IUP Crimson Hawks vs. (-/-) Lock Haven Bald Eagles
Friday, January 3, 2020 | 7:30 p.m. | Kovlachick Complex, Indiana, Pa.
*Rankings reflect NABC/D2SIDA Top 25 Polls

PREVIEW INFORMATION
IUP (9-1, 4-1 PSAC) | Lock Haven (4-5, 1-4 PSAC)

FOLLOW
Watch: IUP-TV Sports/Stretch Internet | Live Stats: IUPstats.com/StatBroadcast | Listen: WQMU 92.5, U92 Sports App | Twitter Updates: @IUP_MBB

COMING UP
Monday, Jan. 6 vs. Mercyhurst, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 8 at Slippery Rock, 7:30 p.m.

THE GAME AT A GLANCE
No. 9 IUP men's basketball (9-1, 4-1 PSAC) returns to action in the new year with a conference cross-divisional matchup at home against Lock Haven (4-5, 1-4 PSAC) Friday night. Tipoff at the Kovalchick Complex is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks are coming off their first loss of the season, a 69-66 defeat at the hands of Shippensburg December 21. The loss was part of a road weekend split for the Hawks as they defeated Shepherd 76-62 the day before. The Bald Eagles dropped their home crossover games, each by narrow margins - 69-65 to Clarion and 96-92 to Pitt-Johnstown. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> R-So. G Armoni Foster led the Crimson Hawks in scoring during its weekend on the road at 19.0 PPG, including 22 against Shepherd, his fourth game of 20 points this season. 
>> Foster has led IUP in scoring six times this season and is tied for 13th in the PSAC at 17.6 PPG. 
>> Sr. G Malik Miller posted his second double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 boards at Shepherd. 
>> The loss to Shippensburg ended IUP's 9-game win streak to start the season. The 9 straight wins was the fourth best start to a season during the HC Joe Lombardi era. 
>> IUP is 25-2 at home since the start of last season, including a 6-0 mark this year. The Crimson Hawks have a +26.2 scoring margin in those six wins, including four by more than 20 points. 
>> Lombardi is 16-2 lifetime against Lock Haven, including a 90-83 win at the Memorial Field House two seasons ago. Lombardi has won 16 straight in the series, with Lock Haven's last win in Indiana coming in Lombardi's first year of 2006-07 (66-60). 
>> The Crimson Hawks have won six straight in their first action after winter break, with their last loss coming on the road to East Stroudsburg on January 4, 2013.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE BALD EAGLES
>> Lock Haven is 4-5 overall and last in the PSAC East with a 1-4 record in league play. 
>> After starting 3-0, the Bald Eagles have won just once in the last six games, defeating Seton Hill 86-80 at home Dec. 7. 
>> LHU's five losses have all been by 6 points or less.
>> The Bald Eagles are one of eight teams in the PSAC to average over 80 points, hitting that mark four times.
>> They boast two of the top scorers in the PSAC in Christian Kelly (20.3) and Matt Cerruti (18.4). They've combined for 10 20-point games, scoring 28 and 27 points, respectively, in the loss to UPJ. 
>> LHU's defense leads the league in FG% (.377) and blocked shots (5.11/game).

IUP IN THE RANKINGS
>> The Crimson Hawks dropped back six spots to No. 9 in the latest NABC Coaches' Top 25. 
>> It marks the sixth straight week the Crimson Hawks appear in the top 10 of the coaches' poll after opening the preseason at No. 11. 
>> It's also the 24th straight poll release that the Crimson Hawks have been in the top 25. 
>> IUP reached as high as No. 3 in the poll (Dec. 17). 

IUP OFF TO ANOTHER STRONG START
>> The Crimson Hawks nine straight wins to open the season was the fourth best start in the Joe Lombardi era.
>> IUP's best start under Lombardi was 14-0 to open the 2017-18 and 2013-14 seasons.
>> This is the third time in the last four seasons the Crimson Hawks have nine wins in their first 10 games. 
>> Those other two seasons came last year (30-3 finish) and 2016-17 (28-4). 

IUP OFFENSE HAS SET GOOD EARLY SEASON PACE
>> The Crimson Hawks are 6th in the PSAC scoring 82.2 PPG through 10 games. 
>> They have six games of 80+ points, posting a Lombardi-era high 108 in the win over Bethany.
>> IUP's 82.2 average is currently the highest in the 14 seasons under Lombardi and ahead of last year's pace (81.7) through 10 games.
>> Five different players have led IUP in scoring and six times four or more players have reached double-figures.
>> IUP players have a combined nine 20-point games, with R-So. G Armoni Foster posting four. 
>> IUP's 48.4 FG% is 3rd in the conference. 

DEFENSE IS ROCK SOLID
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 12th in Division II allowing just 63.7 points, holding opponents under 70 points six times in 10 games. 
>> IUP also ranks 2nd in the conference in defensive FG% (.387), 3FG% (.306), and steals per game (8.2). 
>> IUP is 4th in turnovers forced at 16.8 per game, including a season-high 27 against West Virginia Wesleyan. 

BEING TOUGH ON THE GLASS
>> The Crimson Hawks are 2nd in the PSAC and 34th in Division II with a +7.0 rebounding margin.
>> They've been on the plus side of the rebounding margin eight times in 10 games this year, including a +24 difference against Bethany.
>> IUP is 29th in Division II with 13.5 offensive rebounds per game, including a season-high 19 vs. Concord.

FOSTER HAS BEEN HUGE AS FIRST-YEAR STARTER
>> R-So. G Armoni Foster has been IUP's top scorer through the first 10 games averaging 17.6 PPG.
>> He's led IUP in scoring six times, including each of the last three, has four 20-point games and is 10th in the PSAC with a 50.4 FG%.  
>> He was named PSAC West Athlete and Defensive Athlete of the Week after posting 19 points and 7 steals against Bethany. 
>> He scored a career-high 28 points in the comeback win at Le Moyne, shooting 13-20, and scored 22 of his points in the second half. 
>> Last year Foster served as IUP's sixth man, averaging 7.6 PPG in 33 games (8 starts) with 41 3-pointers. 

MILLER REACHES 100-GAME AND 1000-POINT MARKS
>> Sr. G Malik Miller became the 34th player in program history to reach 1000 career points when he hit the milestone in the win at Le Moyne (Nov. 15)
>> He became the ninth player in the Lombardi era to reach 100 career games at Shippensburg (Dec. 21). 
>> Miller has 1135 points and an 11.4 career average.
>> He has three 20-point games including a season-high 22 against Bloomsburg. 
>> He's in his second year as a starter, earning 1st team All-PSAC West honors while scoring 16.4 PPG as a junior last year.
>> Miller was named a preseason player of the year candidate by Wayne Cavaldi of NCAA.com.

MORRIS ADDS TO HIGH-SCORING BACKCOURT
>> So. G Dave Morris is 3rd on the team (behind Foster and Miller) with 9.5 PPG.
>> Together the group averages 43.6 PPG and has 46 of the team's 83 made 3-pointers. 
>> Morris scored a career-high 17 points in the win at Felician and is coming off 13 points at Shippensburg.
>> He had his most efficient game against Bethany with 8 points, 10 assists and just 1 turnover. 
>> Morris leads the team with 36 assists and has converted 91.3 percent from the foul line (21-23).

PORTERFIELD MOVES INTO STARTING LINEUP
>> Fr. F Ethan Porterfield has started each of the last three games, averaging 12.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG.
>> He posted a season-high 19 points at Shepherd, the most by an IUP freshman since Jacobo Diaz (2015-16). 
>> He's 2nd on the team with 10 blocks.