INDIANA, Pa. - The No. 10-ranked IUP men's basketball team (10-1, 4-1 PSAC) open PSAC Western Division play on Wednesday with a road matchup at Cal U (8-3, 3-2 PSAC). Tipoff at the Convocation Center is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks celebrated 2022 with a 107-55 blowout win over Pitt-Greensburg at the Kovalchick Complex on New Year's Eve, earning their 10th win of the season. The Vulcans last played on Sunday, picking up an 81-64 win over visiting Kutztown. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP's New Year's Eve win came after the Hawks suffered their first loss of the season, a 72-60 home defeat at the hands of Shippensburg on December 19. That loss ended their 24-game home win streak. 
>> Jr. G Armoni Foster was the highlight of the win, tallying his second triple-double of the year with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 9-18 from the floor, making 4 3-pointers. 
>> Including Foster, five players scored in double-digits. 5th yr. F Tommy Demogerontas (19 pts, 9 reb), So. F Ethan Porterfield (13 pts, 9 reb), and Jr. F Ousmane Diop (10 pts, 8 reb) each almost tallied double-doubles, while Jr. G Dave Morris had 13 pts. 
>> It was IUP's highest scoring output (107 points) of the season and its third time in triple-digits. The +52 point margin is tied for the highest of the year (Virginia State, 97-45, Nov. 27). 
>> IUP HC Joe Lombardi carries a 25-6 lifetime record against Cal U, including a 5-0 mark against the Vulcans' 3rd year coach Danny Sancomb. The Crimson Hawks have won 14 straight in the series, with their last loss to the Vulcans coming on Jan. 18, 2014 in Indiana (59-56). 
>> Lombardi is 11-3 in divisional openers during his time at IUP. Each loss came against Mercyhurst. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 51-3 (.944) in January over the last six seasons, including a 26-2 mark on the road. 
>> IUP is 14-2 in PSAC West road games since the 2018-19 season. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VULCANS
>> Cal U is 8-3 overall and tied for sixth in the PSAC West standings with a 3-2 league record. 
>> The Vulcans will be playing in their fifth straight home game. They are 4-2 at home this year with a +14.7 scoring margin. 
>> This will be the third game against a ranked opponent for the Vulcans this year. They defeated No. 25 Charleston 96-92 to open the year and lost to No. 22 Fairmont State 95-92 on Nov. 18 at home. 
>> Cal U is 2nd in the PSAC and 8th in Division II in scoring offense (87.8 PPG). The Vulcans are 3-2 in their five 90-point games this year.
>> PSAC player of the year candidate Philip Alston is averaging 20.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 2.1 BPG with a 55.0 FG%.
>> HC Danny Sancomb is 27-14 over his last two seasons at Cal U, leading the Vulcans to a 19-11 record and PSAC tournament berth in 2019-20, his 2nd year. 

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Crimson Hawks are in a tie for No. 8 in the D2SIDA Media Top 25 and No. 10 in the coaches' rankings.
>> The most recent media poll is from December while they have been No. 10 for the last two weeks. 
>> IUP has been inside the top-10 of the media poll each week this week, including a four-week stretch at No. 3. 
>> The Hawks have been inside the coaches' top-10 for five straight weeks after at No. 18 preseason ranking.
>> It's the 40th time in the last 42 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 HAD 9-0 START TO THE SEASON
>> The Crimson Hawks won their first five non-conference games and four straight to open the PSAC slate.
>> It was the fifth time since the 2009-10 season that IUP has opened a season with at least 9 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 OFFENSE PROVIDES FIREWORKS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and is 7th in DII at 89.1 PPG. 
>> The Hawks have scored at least 81 points nine times in 11 games this season.
>> They have scored 100+ points three times and have five more 90-point efforts. 
>> The 107 points against Pitt-Greensburg is a season-high. IUP also scored 106 against Le Moyone and 103 at West Chester. 
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 5th in DII with a 51.8 FG%. The Hawks have made half their shots six times, including a season-best 67.8 pct. against Virginia State. 
>> Five times this year at least five Crimson Hawks have scored in double-figures. 
>> Four of IUP's starters are averaging double-figures.

KNOCKING DOWN THE "3"
>> IUP leads the PSAC with 8.7 made 3FGs per game.
>> IUP's 36.1 3FG% is 2nd in the conference. 
>> The Hawks made a season-high 13 3-pointers in the 107-55 win over Pitt-Greensburg on Dec. 31. 
>> IUP has four games of 11+ 3-pointers made and has made at least 6 in every game this year.
>> Six players have made at least 10 3-pointers this season.
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield has a team-best 21 3FGs made and leads all Hawks with a 47.7 3FG%.

SHOOTING THEIR SHOT
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 5th in Division II in field goal percentage at 51.8 pct. 
>> The Hawks have shot at least 50 pct. six times in 11 games this year, going 6-0 in those games.
>> IUP had a season-high 67.8 FG% in the win over Virginia State, the 4th best total in program history.
>> The Hawks also had a 63.5 FG% in the win over Le Moyne. 

PROVIDING THE ASSIST
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 11th in Division II with 18.5 assists per game.
>> The Hawks have assisted on 56.2 pct. (204-363) of their made buckets this season.
>> IUP has double-figure assists in 10 of its 11 games.
>> The Hawks have four outings with 20+ assists, including a season-high 28 in the win over Virginia State.
>> Five players have dished out at least 20 assists with Jr. G Armoni Foster (61) and Jr. G Dave Morris (41) on top.

MAKING PLAYS ON "D"
>> IUP is 11th in Division II with 10.2 steals per game. 
>> The Hawks have six games of 10+ steals, including a season-high 16 against Concord and at West Chester.
>> Jr. G Dave Morris leads the PSAC and ranks 4th in Division II with 3.2 steals per game. 
>> Morris (32) is one of six Hawks with double-digit steals. 
>> The Hawks' 4.7 blocks per game ranks 2nd in the PSAC and 22nd in Division II. 
>> They are coming off a season-high 9 blocks in the win over Pitt-Greensburg.
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield ranks 4th in the PSAC with 1.55 blocks per game, including 5 against Virginia State.
>> Jr. G Armoni Foster has 12 blocks on the year with four games of at least 2+ swats.

BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 6th in Division II with a +10.6 rebounding margin.
>> IUP has won the rebound battle is nine of 11 games.
>> The Hawks posted a season-best 61 boards and +37 margin in the win over Pitt-Greensburg.

IUP SUCCESSFUL AT HOME
>> With their loss to Shippensburg, the Crimson Hawks saw a 24-game home win streak come to a close.
>> 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 is 44-3 (.936) at home since 2018-19 and 130-17 (.884) since the 2012-13 season. 
>> IUP has two undefeated home seasons under Lombardi - 18-0 in 2009-10 and 16-0 in 2019-20. 

FOSTER GETTING IT DONE ALL OVER THE COURT
>> Jr. G Armoni Foster is averaging 19.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 5.3 APG, to go along with 13 steals and 12 blocks.
>> He ranks 2nd in the PSAC in scoring and 3rd in assists.
>> Foster earned back-to-back PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors (Nov. 29, Dec. 6).
>> He's the only Division II player - and one of two in all of the NCAA - with 2 triple-doubles this year.
>> Foster tallied his latest triple-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Pitt-Greensburg.
>> He also had 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 has four 20-point performances this season, tying a career-high with 33 at West Chester.
>> Foster went over 1,000 career points during the win at Kutztown. He's currently 27th in IUP history with 1,115 points (Paul Burnett, 26th, 1,139). 

PORTERFIELD IS MR. INSIDE AND MR. OUTSIDE
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield is averaging 16.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG, has 21 3-pointers and 17 blocks.
>> He was named PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on Dec. 20 (11.0 RPG, 5 blocks, 3 steals).
>> He's 3rd in the PSAC with a 60.4 FG% (67-111).
>> His 47.7 3FG% (21-44) would rank 2nd in the PSAC if he had enough makes to qualify.
>> Porterfield's 1.55 blocks per game is 4th in the PSAC.
>> He had back-to-back double-doubles against Shepherd (16 pts, 14 reb) and Shippensburg (19 pts, 12 reb).
>> His 23 points against Millersville was a career-high.
>> Porterfield was the 2019-20 PSAC West Freshman of the Year.

MORRIS IS A TWO-WAY POINT GUARD
>> Jr. G Dave Morris is averaging 10.4 PPG and is 2nd on the team with 41 assists.
>> His 4.1 APG ranks 8th in the PSAC. 
>> Morris has a season-high 8 assists in a game twice - at West Chester, vs. Shepherd.
>> Morris leads the PSAC and ranks 4th in Division II with 3.2 steals per game. His 32 total steals ranks 8th in DII.
>> He has seven games of 3+ steals this year, including a season-high 6 against Concord.
>> He has five double-digit scoring games this year, including a season-high 17 points against Shippensburg.

DEMOGERONTAS A DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT
>> 5th yr. F Tommy Demogerontas is averaging 13.7 PPG and a team-best 8.1 RPG this year.
>> He posted his 3rd double-double of the year with 15 points and 12 boards against Millersville. 
>> He has five double-doubles in 18 games at IUP.
>> He is 7th in the PSAC with a 55.8 FG% (63-113).
>> Demogerontas had a career game with highs of 23 points and 15 rebounds at Bowie State.

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. 

NEWCOMERS PLAYIING ROLES
>> Fr. G Kyle Polce stepped into the starting lineup for Jones, averaging 4.3 PPG and 3.5 RPG with 3 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals in the last four starts.
>> Fr. G Bryce Radford is averaging 4.9 PPG and has made 13 3FGs in 10 games off the bench. 
>> Radford scored a season-high 14 points in the season-opening win over WV Wesleyan.
>> Fr. F Tomiwa Suliaman is averaging 2.8 PPG and 3.8 RPG with 8 steals and 7 blocks in 11 games. 
>> Jr. F Ousmane Diop is averaging 3.8 PPG and 3.1 RPG in nine games. He has a 68.2 FG% (15-22) and went for 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks against Pitt-Greensburg.