INDIANA, Pa. - The two-seed IUP men's basketball team (33-2, 20-2 PSAC) heads into the national semifinals where they will battle three-seed Augusta (32-3, 15-3 PBC) at the NCAA Division II Championship Thursday night. Tipoff at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana is 6:30 p.m. EST, 5:30 p.m. CST. The Atlantic Region champion Crimson Hawks have won seven straight postseason games, including a 67-55 win over seven-seed Hillsdale Tuesday. The Jaguars defeated six-seed Chico State 81-69 in overtime. 

TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP is making its 18th NCAA tournament appearance and has a 35-16 all-time record. This year marks the 11th NCAA tournament appearance under HC Joe Lombardi since the 2008-09 season (13 full seasons).
>> This is IUP's seventh Elite Eight appearance, last advancing in 2015 at the Ford Center in Evansville.
>> IUP advanced to the national title game at the Ford Center in 2015, defeating Azusa Pacific 69-65 in the opening round and Tarleton State 72-68 in the semifinals. IUP lost to No. 1 Florida Southern 77-62 in the title game.
>> Lombardi is 22-9 all-time in NCAA tournament games with three regional titles (2010, 2015, 2022) and two national title game appearances (2010, 2015). 
>> IUP is 2-2 all-time in national semifinal games. Lombardi is 2-0. 
>> The Hawks are one of three NCAA teams with 33 wins. DI Arizona and DIII Randolph-Macon are the others.
>> IUP is coming off its third straight PSAC tournament title and its sixth under Lombardi since 2010. The Hawks are the first PSAC team to win at least three straight tournament titles since Cheyney from 1976-80. 
>> This is IUP's fourth 30-win season under HC Joe Lombardi, including a program record 33-3 mark in 2009-10.
>> IUP and Augusta have never played each other. 
>> The Crimson Hawks are 2-0 against nationally-ranked opponents, defeating conference rival Mercyhurst twice.
>> The Hawks are 12-1 away from home this year with a +15.0 scoring margin. This will be just the fifth game away from home since February 5.
>> IUP is 36-3 in February and March over the last three full seasons, including 13-1 away from home. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE JAGUARS
>> Augusta is 32-3 overall and won the Peach Belt Conference regular season title with a 15-3 league record.
>> The Jaguars are making the program's 14th NCAA tournament appearance, including its sixth since the 2013-14 season.
>> The Jags advanced to the Elite Eight after winning the Southeast Region title on a buzzer beater, defeating Queens University 77-76. 
>> Augusta leads the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (.434) and free throws made (603). The Jags' 325 made 3-pointers is 8th in DII and their 83.3 PPG is 26th.
>> The Jags' defense is 29th in DII giving iup just 65.3 PPG. Opponents are shooting just 39.2 percent from the field.