INDIANA, Pa. - The No. 7-ranked IUP men's basketball team (21-2, 15-2 PSAC) takes its 6-game win streak on the road this weekend as they head to Erie to face Gannon (12-8, 9-7 PSAC). The Saturday tipoff at the Hammermill Center is set for 3 p.m. The Crimson Hawks are coming off a huge 87-79 comeback victory over Cal U at home Wednesday while the Golden Knights broke a 3-game win streak with a loss to No. 20 Mercyhurst 87-77 this week. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Hawks erased a 16-point first half deficit and outscored Cal U by 12 in the second half to cap their second comeback win in the last three games on Wednesday.
>> The Vulcans outshot IUP 50.8 pct. to 37.9 pct., but the Hawks forced 19 turnovers and shot 28-35 at the foul line.
>> Fr. F Tomiwa Sulaiman scored a season-high 26 points, shooting 10-15 from the field and 6-6 from the line. 
>> It was the 16th straight win for the Crimson Hawks over the Vulcans dating back to the 2013-14 season.
>> The victory also clinched IUP's 14th straight PSAC tournament berth dating back to the 2007-08 season. The 14 consecutive years is the longest active streak in the PSAC. 
>> IUP has won 20 games for the 13th consecutive season under HC Joe Lombardi dating back to 2008-09. 
>> IUP is one of eight Division II schools with 2 or fewer losses this season. 
>> The Hawks defeated Gannon 83-50 at home on Jan. 31. They are going for their third straight regular season sweep of the Golden Knights and fifth in the last six full seasons.
>> Lombardi is 20-11 lifetime against Gannon, winning 11 of the last 13 meetings dating back to the
2015-16 season. The record includes a split in two games played during last year's truncated schedule.
>> The Hawks are 69-6 (.920) in PSAC West games since the 2016-17 season. That record includes a 35-2 mark at home and 34-4 away. IUP is 10-1 against divisional teams this year.
>> IUP has won 30 of its last 31 home games dating back to the start of 2019-20, including 12-1 this year. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
>> Gannon is 12-8 overall and 5th in the PSAC West standings with a 9-7 conference record.
>> The Golden Knights are 3-1 since falling to IUP back on Jan. 31, including a 67-66 win over UPJ on Monday. 
>> They also have a 49.6 FG% (118-236) since that loss after shooting a season-low 27.3 pct. against the Hawks.
>> GU's 33-point loss (83-50) to IUP was its biggest loss of the season.
>> The Golden Knights are 10-2 at home this year with a scoring margin of +12.8. 
>> G Lance-Amir Paul leads GU in scoring (18.0), rebounds (6.9) and assists (3.7) this season. 

IUP IN THE POLLS
>> The Hawks are No. 7 in the NABC Coaches' poll and No. 4 in the D2SIDA Media poll this week. 
>> IUP has been inside the top-10 of the media poll each week this year, including a four-week stretch at No. 3. 
>> This is the 11th straight week the Hawks are ranked in the top-10 of both polls.
>> It's the 45th time in the last 47 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 is 3rd in the PSAC and is 30th in DII at 83.0 PPG. 
>> The Hawks have scored at least 81 points 14 times in 23 games this season.
>> They have scored 100+ points four 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, 103 at West Chester, and 100 at Seton Hill. 
>> 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 9.5 made 3FGs per game.
>> IUP's 36.5 3FG% is 3rd in the conference. 
>> The Hawks made a season-high 18 3-pointers in the 100-60 win at Seton Hill on Jan. 19.
>> They also have performances of 16 3FGs against Edinboro (Jan. 26) and 15 against Gannon (Jan. 31). 
>> IUP has nine games of 10+ 3-pointers made and has made at least 5 in every game this year.
>> Eight players have made at least 10 3-pointers.
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield is 1st in the PSAC with a 51.8 3FG% (57-110) and t-3rd with 2.5 made 3s per game.

SHOOTING THEIR SHOT
>> IUP is 3rd in the PSAC and ranks 31st in Division II with a 48.5 FG%. 
>> The Hawks have shot at least 50 pct. nine times in 23 games this year, going 9-0 in those games.
>> IUP had a season-high 67.8 FG% in the win over Virginia State, the 4th best percentage in program history.
>> The Hawks also had a 63.5 FG% in the win over Le Moyne. 
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield is 3rd in the PSAC and 32nd in Division II with a 59.4 FG%.

PROVIDING THE ASSIST
>> IUP leads the PSAC and ranks 8th in Division II with 18.1 assists per game.
>> The Hawks have assisted on 60.3 pct. (416-690) of their made buckets this season.
>> IUP has double-figure assists in 22 of its 23 games.
>> The Hawks have nine outings with 20+ assists, including a season-high 28 in the win over Virginia State.
>> IUP assisted on 25 of its 28 made buckets against Gannon on Jan. 31. 
>> Six players have dished out at least 20 assists with Jr. G Armoni Foster (153) and Jr. G Dave Morris (91) on top.

MAKING PLAYS ON "D"
>> IUP is 19th in Division II with 8.9 steals per game. 
>> The Hawks have nine games of 10+ steals, including a season-high 16 against Concord and at West Chester.
>> Jr. G Dave Morris leads the PSAC and ranks 13th in Division II with 2.41 steals per game. 
>> Morris (53) is one of seven Hawks with more than 10 steals this season.
>> The Hawks' 4.5 blocks per game ranks 1st in the PSAC and 23rd in Division II. 
>> They tallied a season-high 11 blocks in the win over Edinboro on Jan. 26.
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield ranks 4th in the PSAC with 1.5 blocks per game, including 6 against Edinboro.
>> Jr. F Ousmane Diop has two games of 4 blocks this season (vs. Pitt-Greensburg, at Seton Hill).

BATTLE OF THE BOARDS
>> IUP is 2nd in the PSAC and ranks 14th in Division II with a +7.7 rebounding margin.
>> IUP has won the rebound battle in 17 of 23 games.
>> IUP has a +4.9 margin in 17 conference games.
>> The Hawks posted a season-best 61 boards and +37 margin in the win over Pitt-Greensburg.

IUP SUCCESSFUL AT HOME
>> The Crimson Hawks have lost one home game since the start of the 2019-20 season, going 30-1. 
>> The lone loss came to Shippensburg on Dec. 19, ending IUP's 24-game home win streak. 
>> IUP's longest home win streak during the Lombardi Era is 30 straight victories, from 2008-11. 
>> IUP is 210-36 (.853) at home under Lombardi, including a 49-3 (.942) mark since the 2018-19 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 20.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 6.7 APG, to go along with 36 steals and 16 blocks.
>> He ranks 2nd in the PSAC and 26th in DII in points
>> Foster is 2nd in the PSAC and 5th in DII in assists.
>> He's the only Division II player - and one of five in all of the NCAA - with multiple triple-doubles this year.
>> Foster tallied his last triple-double with 25 points, 10 boards and 10 assists against Pitt-Greensburg (Dec. 31).
>> He also had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds against Virginia State. 
>> Foster also has five double-doubles this year, his latest coming in the win at Seton Hill - 27 points, 12 assists.
>> Foster has 12 20-point performances, including two of 30+, this season, with a career-high 33 at West Chester.
>> Foster is currently 14th in IUP history with 1,374 points (Joe DeLise, 13th, 1,510).

FOSTER'S AWARDS
>> Foster was named to the Bevo Francis Award Watch List (top 100) on Jan. 15. The award recognizes the top players in NCAA Division II, III, the NAIA and JC.
>> Foster earned back-to-back PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors (Nov. 29, Dec. 6).
>> He was also named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on Jan. 31.

PORTERFIELD IS MR. INSIDE AND MR. OUTSIDE
>> So. F Ethan Porterfield is averaging 17.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG, has 57 3-pointers and 35 blocks.
>> He's 9th in the PSAC in scoring and 13th in rebounds.
>> He's 3rd in the PSAC with a 59.4 FG% (151-254).
>> He's 1st in the PSAC with a 51.8 3FG% (57-110).
>> Porterfield's 1.5 blocks per game is 4th in the PSAC.
>> He has three double-doubles this year: Shepherd (16/14), Shippensburg (19/12), Edinboro (10/11). 
>> He posted a career-high 30 points on 13-16 FGs, 3-5 3FGs, and 1-1 FTs in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Porterfield has nine games of 20-plus points.
>> He was named PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on Dec. 20 (11.0 RPG, 5 blocks, 3 steals).
>> He's averaging 18.9 PPG during conference games, 6th most among PSAC players.

MORRIS IS A TWO-WAY POINT GUARD
>> Jr. G Dave Morris is averaging 11.6 PPG and is 2nd on the team with 91 assists.
>> His 4.1 APG ranks 8th in the PSAC. 
>> Morris had a career-high 12 assists in the win at Clarion on Jan. 22.
>> Morris leads the PSAC and ranks 13th in Division II with 2.41 steals per game. His 53 steals is 6th in DII.
>> He has 10 games of 3+ steals this year, tying a career-high with 6 against Concord and Lock Haven.
>> Morris has four 20-point performances over his last 11 games, including a career-high 23 points against Edinboro (Jan. 26).

DEMOGERONTAS A DOUBLE-DOUBLE THREAT
>> 5th yr. F Tommy Demogerontas is averaging 12.0 PPG and a team-best 7.7 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 23 games at IUP.
>> He is 9th in the PSAC with a 51.9 FG%.
>> 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. 

SULAIMAN MAKING QUALITY STARTS
>> Fr. F Tomiwa Sulaiman has started seven of the last nine games for the injured Demogerontas.
>> He broke out with a season-high 26 points on 10-15 FGs and 6-6 FTs against Cal U (Feb. 9). 
>> He's averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.3 RPG with a 64.7 FG% (33-51), 12 blocks and 8 steals in seven starts.
>> With Sulaiman in the lineup, IUP is 7-0 with a +20.0 scoring margin. Opponents are averaging 59.0 PPG and shooting just 36.3 pct. 
>> He has five multi-block games this season, including three 3-block games in his last nine outings.

POLCE STEPPING INTO STARTING 5
>> Fr. G Kyle Polce took Jones' spot in the lineup and has 17 starts this season.
>> Since moving into the lineup against Millersville, he's averaging 4.2 PPG and 3.2 RPG with a 40.0 3FG%.
>> Polce has a 3.2-1 assist-turnover ratio this season.

DILLARD PACKS A PUNCH
>> Fr. G Dallis Dillard had his redshirt pulled when Jones was hurt. He's averaging 18.8 minutes in 16 games.
>> He scored a season-high 19 points on 7-7 FGs (5-5 3FGs) in 25 minutes at Seton Hill (Jan. 19). 
>> He's averaging 5.6 PPG with a 12-7 assist-turnover ratio in 11 PSAC West games.