INDIANA, Pa. - The No. 18-ranked IUP men's basketball team (0-0, 0-0 PSAC) returns to action and opents its 2021-22 season with its annual IRMC/Hilton Garden Inn Classic November 12-13 at the Kovalchick Complex. The Crimson Hawks play West Virginia Wesleyan (0-0, 0-0 MEC) Friday night and close out the weekend against Concord (0-0, 0-0 MEC) Saturday. Tipoff each night is set for 7:30 p.m.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday | Pitt-Johnstown vs. Concord, 5:15 p.m.
Friday | IUP vs. West Virginia Wesleyan, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday | Pitt-Johnstown vs. West Virginia Wesleyan, 5:15 p.m.
Saturday | IUP vs. Concord, 7:30 p.m.

TIPOFF NOTES
>> It will have been 614 days since the Crimson Hawks last played a meaningful game when they take the court Friday night. That game was the 2020 PSAC Championship, with IUP defeating Shippensburg 77-59.
>> IUP enters the new season still as the back-to-back PSAC champions, also winning on its home court in 2019. 
>> The Crimson Hawks were in action once in the preseason, falling to No. 11 Illinois 94-79 on Oct. 29. R-Sr. G Shawndale Jones scored a game-high 25 points on 10-18 FGs and 5-7 FTs.
>> IUP is a combined 10-2 in its annual season-opening tournament dating back to 2014, winning the first game in each of the six tournaments.
>> For the sixth straight year the Hawks were picked to win the PSAC West in the preseason poll. They are also No. 18 in the NABC Coaches Top 25 and No. 6 in the D2SIDA Top 25.