INDIANA, Pa. – Looking to blend together a new group, the IUP men's basketball program hosts the 2023 IRMC Thanksgiving Classic from November 25-26 inside the KCAC.
The Crimson Hawks take the court at 5:00 p.m. on each day of the classic, squaring off with St. Thomas Aquinas on November 25 before finishing out the weekend against Frostburg State on November 26. Pitt-Johnstown also returns to the KCAC for a pair of 3:00 p.m. tipoffs each day.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
2023 IRMC Thanksgiving Classic
IUP vs. St. Thomas Aquinas
Saturday, November 25 – 5:00 p.m. – KCAC – Indiana, Pa.
IUP vs. Frostburg State
Sunday, November 26 – 5:00 p.m. – KCAC – Indiana, Pa.
IUP NEWS AND NOTES
- IUP limited a sharpshooting Walsh team from beyond the arc but could not find a way to take control with a young lineup, falling to the talented Cavaliers by a 73-65 count.
- Ethan Porterfield enters the weekend just two rebounds shy of matching Tom Kerstetter for eighth all-time (653) and 21 shy of tying Mike Mitten (672) for seventh on the school's rebounding list.
- IUP shuffled its starting lineup against Walsh, going with a quicker lineup with Jaylen Stewart making his eighth career start with the Hawks.
- The IRMC Thanksgiving Classic marks the end of a five-game homestand to open the season for the Crimson Hawks, hitting the road to begin PSAC crossover play at Shippensburg (December 1) and Lock Haven (December 2).
- IUP dropped out of both national rankings for the first time in over a year, spending the entire 2022-23 season ranked among the top 25.
- The Hawks have been outrebounded in all three games to start the new season. Walsh held a slim 30-27 edge on the boards last week.
- The Hawks have four scorers in double figures, led by Porterfield's 16.7 average. Dallis Dillard is shooting over 40% from the floor as an all-around contributor with averages of 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
- Garvin Clarke has become more involved as a shooter for IUP in a small three-game sample size, posting 13 points over 38 minutes against Walsh.
- The Hawks have struggled as a unit at the free throw line, converting at a 64.4% clip from the line this season. Dillard has gone 10-for-13 from the line, leading all IUP players with five attempts or more.
- KJ Rhodes has a team-high four steals through three games off the bench with Porterfield adding three.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AT A GLANCE
- St. Thomas Aquinas is receiving votes in the latest NABC DII Top 25 Poll.
- James Patterson is the two-time reigning ECC Player of the Week for the Spartans, averaging 35.5 points and 9.0 rebounds over two wins last week.
- STAC enters with a 3-1 record overall, facing Caldwell on November 21. The Spartans lone loss of the season came by two points in overtime against Post.
FROSTBURG STATE AT A GLANCE
- Frostburg State has recently completed reclassification from DIII to DII and the Mountain East Conference.
- The Bobcats have gone 0-4 to start the season but square off with a fledgling West Virginia Wesleyan squad on November 21.
- Zack Thomsen is in his first season as the head coach of the Bobcats.
- Robby Williams is leading the scoring charge for Frostburg with 13.0 points/game, while Koby Baptiste is pulling down 6.0 rebounds per contest.
SERIES HISTORY
- IUP will be facing both St. Thomas Aquinas and Frostburg State for the first time in program history over the weekend.
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HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
- Since the KCAC opened in the 2011-12 season, IUP has had an outstanding home court advantage to go along with a nationally prominent basketball program.
- Despite a pair of setback this season, IUP boasts a 177-22 (.889) mark in home games since the venue opened, including postseason games.
- IUP has not lost more than four games at the KCAC in a season since the building opened.
- At the KCAC, the IUP men have won:
- 17 of 18 games in 2022-2023 (17-1; lone loss in Atlantic Region Championship)
- 39 of their last 43 (39-4)
- 55 of their last 59 (55-4)
- 74 or their last 80 (74-6)
- 86 of their last 96 (86-10)
- 102 of their last 115 (102-13)
THAT'S A LOT OF WINS!
- Since the 2018-19 season, IUP has gone 124-12 (.911) overall during full playing seasons.
- Entering the season, only 11 DII men's basketball programs have posted at least 100 wins in the four-year span from 2018-19 to 2022-23 (excluding 2020-21).
- IUP went 32-2 last season, marking the team's fifth 30-win since 2009-10, the most of any team in the PSAC.
LOMBARDI AMONG THE ELITE COACHES IN ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL
- Now in his 42nd season as a college coach, Joe Lombardi has been a central figure in elevating the IUP men's basketball program into one of the nation's best.
- Coaching his 18th season at the helm of the Crimson Hawks, Lombardi is the program's all-time leader in wins (401-110) with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven PSAC tournament titles (2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023), three Atlantic Region Championships (2010, 2015, 2022) and two Division II National Championship Game appearances (2010, 2015).
- Lombardi ranks fifth among NCAA DII active head coaches in winning percentage (.785) with at least 10 years of experience and 14th among all-time among all NCAA divisions in winning percentage with at least 10 years of experience.
NCAA All Divisions All-Time Head Coach Win Percentage (min. 10 years' experience)
- .859 -- Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (498-82, 18 yrs) *
- .836 – Mark Few (Gonzaga) (689-135, 24 yrs) *
- .826 – Matt Logie (Whitworth/Point Loma/Montana State) (277-59, 12 yrs) *
- .824 – Clair Bee (Rider/LIU Brooklyn) (412-88, 21 yrs)
- .822 – Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) (876-190, 41 yrs)
- .811 – Bucky Harris (Jefferson) (240-56, 13 yrs)
- .810 – Dolph Staley (Beloit) (238-56, 12 yrs)
- .807 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (367-88, 14 yrs) *
- .805 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (239-58, 10 yrs) *
- .804 – John Wooden (Indiana State/UCLA) (664-162, 29 yrs)
- .797 – John Kreese (College of Charleston) (400-108, 23 yrs)
- .794 – Bob Bolen (Glenvile State) (490-127, 20 yrs*)
- .786 – Dave Robbins (Virginia Union) (713-194, 30 yrs)
15. .784 – Jerry Tarkanian (LBSU/UNLV/Fresno State) (729-201, 31 yrs)
NCAA Division II Active Head Coach Winning Percentage (min. 10 years' experience)
- .859 – Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (498-82, 18 yrs)
- .807 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (367-88, 14 yrs)
- .805 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (239-58, 10 yrs)
- .794 – Bob Bolen (Glenville State (490-127, 20 yrs)
- .757 – Jeff Young (Walsh) (438-140; 21 yrs)
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Career Points
11. 1,526 -- Anthony Glover, Jr. (2014-18)
12. 1,525 -- Malik Miller (2016-20)
13. 1,510 -- Joe DeLise (1950-51, 55-58)
14. 1,447 -- Shawndale Jones (2017-23)
15. 1,387 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
16. 1,369 -- Sam Scott (1977-82)
17. 1,366 -- Randy Allen (1971-74)
18. 1,361 -- Jeff Brown (1978-82)
19. 1,359 --
Dave Morris (2018-23)
20. 1,358 -- Garry Lupek (1966-69)
Career Three-Point Field Goals Made
7. 195 -- Geoff Evans (1998-01)
8. 187 -- Aaron Faulkner (1999-02)
9. 181 -- Eddie Peterson (2002-06)
9. 651 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-23)
10. 632 -- Bob Bence (1962-66)
11. 630 -- John Guyton (1972-76)
Career Blocks
1. 207 -- Devon Cottrell (2012-17)
2. 162 -- Darryl Webb (2007-11)
3. 141 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
FOLLOW
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.
