INDIANA, Pa. - The No. 6-ranked IUP men's basketball team (7-0, 2-0 PSAC) returns home this week to continue PSAC-crossover play to host Millersville (6-1, 1-1 PSAC) at the Kovalchick Complex Tuesday. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks grabbed two road wins to open conference play two weekends ago, defeating Kutztown 86-73 and West Chester 103-81. The Marauders had an up-and-down opening weekend in a pair of home blowouts, defeating Clarion 87-54 before losing to Pitt-Johnstown 83-51. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> Jr. G Armoni Foster was named PSAC West Athlete of the Week for the second straight time after averaging 25.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 3.0 APG while shooting 53.1 pct. from the floor and 88.9 pct. from the foul line in the two wins.
>> Foster went over 1,000 career points in the win at Kutztown, becoming the 35th player in program history to reach that milestone. He also tied a career-high with 33 points against West Chester.
>> It was announced Dec. 13 that Sr. G Shawndale Jones will miss the remainder of the season due to an injury he suffered in the win at West Chester. Jones was leading the PSAC and ranked 5th in Division II with 25.0 PPG.
>> Fr. G Kyle Polce is expected to move into the lineup. He saw his first career start at Bowie State on Nov. 19.
>> IUP reached the 100-point mark for the second time this season, scoring 103 against West Chester.
>> The Crimson Hawks have scored at least 90 points in five of their seven games. 
>> IUP leads the PSAC in scoring (95.3), field goal pct. (.542), 3FG pct. (.389), 3FGs made/game (9.0), and assists/game (19.6). The Hawks are also 2nd in scoring margin (+25.6), and steals/game (11.4). 
>> IUP HC Joe Lombardi is 8-2 lifetime against Millersville, including eight straight wins. The last meeting came during the 2018-19 season with IUP holding on for a 74-73 road victory. 
>> The Hawks have won 22 straight home games dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season. 
>> IUP is 202-35 (.852) at home under Lombardi since he took over in 2006-07.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MARAUDERS
>> Millersville is 6-1 overall and 1-1 in PSAC play.
>> The Marauders were ranked No. 9 in the D2SIDA Atlantic Region Media Poll, released Dec. 6. 
>> MU won six straight to open the season before losing to Pitt-Johnstown by 32 points on Dec. 4. 
>> The Marauders fell to Division I Morgan State 77-71 in an exhibition last Monday.
>> MU leads the PSAC and ranks 9th in DII with a +9.9 rebounding margin. The Marauders' 44.1 rebounds per game ranks 8th in the nation.

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks moved up one spot in the latest NABC Coaches' Poll to No. 6 last Tuesday. 
>> IUP is also No. 3 in this week's D2SIDA Media Poll for the third consecutive release.
>> It's the 37th time in the last 39 polls the Hawks have been eligible for that they rank in the top-10, dating back to the 2019-20 preseason poll. 
>> IUP spent the entire 2018-19 season in the top-5 of the media poll and all of 2019-20 in the top-10.

IUP OFF TO ANOTHER UNBEATEN START
>> The Crimson Hawks won their first five non-conference games and both on PSAC-opening weekend.
>> This is the sixth time since the 2009-10 season that IUP has opened a season with at least 7 straight wins. 
>> IUP's best start under Lombardi was 14-0 to open the 2017-18 and 2013-14 seasons.
>> IUP started the 2019-20 season 9-0 and the 2009-10 season 11-0.

HAWKS HOT OFFENSE PROVIDES FIREWORKS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 4th in Division II with a 95.3 scoring average.
>> The Hawks have scored at least 86 points all seven games, including two 100-point games - 106 vs. Le Moyne and 103 at West Chester.
>> IUP also leads the nation with a 54.2 FG%. The Hawks have shot better than 63.5 percent twice.
>> IUP leads the PSAC with 9.0 made 3s per game. 
>> The Hawks' 19.6 assists per game are 7th in Division II.
>> IUP shot 67.8 pct (40-59) from the field, 52.4 pct. from 3 (11-21) and dished out 28 assists in the 97-45 win over Virginia State.
>> IUP's four starters are averaging double-figures.

MAKING PLAYS ON DEFENSE
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC and 5th in Division II with 11.4 steals per game. 
>> Jr. G Dave Morris is among the national leaders with 20 steals and 3.3. per game.
>> The Hawks' 4.0 blocks per game is 3rd in the PSAC, getting a season-high 8 vs. Virginia State.
>> IUP has won the rebound battle is six of seven games and is 3rd in the PSAC with a +8.4 margin.

IUP SUCCESSFUL AT HOME
>> The Crimson Hawks have won 22 straight home games dating back to the 2019-20 season, including two games played last year. 
>> IUP's longest home win streak during the Lombardi Era is 30 straight victories. That streak ran from the 2008-09 to the 2010-11 seasons.
>> IUP also won 22 straight home games under Lombardi between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.
>> IUP is 41-2 (.953) at home since 2018-19 and 127-16 (.888) since the 2012-13 season. 
>> IUP has two undefeated home seasons under Lombardi - 18-0 in 2009-10 and 16-0 in 2019-20. 

JONES WILL NOT RETURN IN 2021-22
>> Sr. G Shawndale Jones will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season after suffering an injury at West Chester.
>> At the time of his injury, Jones led the PSAC and ranked 6th in Division II with 25.0 PPG. 
>> He had five 20-point games, including a career-high 37 points at Bowie State.
>> He's one of four IUP players this century to score at least 37 points in a game. 
>> He was also 9th in the PSAC with a 57.4 FG%, 4th with an 86.8 FT%, and 4th with 33 free throws made. 

FOSTER GETTING IT DONE ALL OVER THE COURT
>> Jr. G Armoni Foster is averaging 19.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 6.1 APG, to go along with 11 steals and 5 blocks.
>> Foster earned back-to-back PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors (Nov. 29, Dec. 6).
>> He's one of four players in Division II with a triple-double, going for 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against Virginia State. 
>> Foster also has two double-doubles this year: 17 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists against Concord and 17 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds against Le Moyne.
>> Foster went over 1,000 career points during the win at Kutztown. He's currently tied for 31st with 1,037 points.
>> Foster was a 2020 Preseason All-American by the Basketball Times.  

DEMOGERONTAS A DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT
>> 5th yr. F Tommy Demogerontas is averaging 13.9 PPG and a team-best 8.1 RPG this year.
>> He has two double-doubles this season - 16/15 against WV Wesleyan and 23/15 against Bowie State.
>> The 15 boards against Wesleyan and Bowie State is a career-high. 
>> He has 4 double-doubles in 14 games at IUP.
>> Demogerontas is 5th in the PSAC and 42nd in Division II with a 60.9 FG%. 
>> He's also a threat from 3-point range with a 52.6 3FG% (10-19), going 4-4 against Bowie State.