INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP men's basketball program hits the rod for the first time during the 2023-24 season, facing Shippensburg (December 1) and Lock Haven (December 2). Game times are set for 5:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. respectively.
IUP has not been on the road for eight straight contests dating back to last season's Atlantic Region Tournament. Coincidentally, the last time IUP played a game away from the KCAC was the 2023 PSAC Championship, a 53-52 victory against Mercyhurst, at Shippensburg's Heiges Field House.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP (2-3) at Shippensburg (3-1)
Friday, December 1 – 3:00 p.m. – Heiges Field House – Shippensburg, Pa.
IUP at Lock Haven
Saturday, December 2 – 3:00 p.m. – Thomas Field House – Lock Haven, Pa.
IUP NEWS AND NOTES
- Contending with a demanding nonconference slate, the Crimson Hawks are set for their first road trip in the 2023-24 campaign. IUP split its 2023 IRMC Thanksgiving Classic, falling to St. Thomas Aquinas before knocking off Frostburg State on November 26.
- The win against Frostburg State snapped an uncharacteristic two-game losing streak for IUP, which is working towards replacing three starters that earned first team all-conference laurels.
- Ethan Porterfield posted 21 points, seven boards and four assists to lead the Hawks against Frostburg State. Dallis Dillard added 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists over 35 minutes.
- IUP has swept its season-opening PSAC crossover games each of the last six years.
- IUP is 13-3 in PSAC openers under HC Joe Lombardi, a stretch that includes six straight wins.
- Porterfield zipped up to eighth place all-time on the school's all-time rebounding list (665). The two-time PSAC Tournament MVP ranks sixth in the league in scoring average (18.2), 10th in rebounding (7.4), eighth in blocks/game (1.00) and eighth in assist/turnover ratio (+1.78).
- The Hawks held a decisive 51-31 advantage on the glass against Frostburg State, entering the weekend second in the conference in offensive rebounding (13.80) and third in rebounds/game (41.60).
- The Hawks enter the weekend fourth in the conference in FG% defense, allowing opponents to convert at a 41.5% mark. IUP is also fourth in the league in scoring defense (68.0).
- Dillard has posted double figures in all five games this season for IUP, now second on the team in scoring average (16.2). Dillard added 10 rebounds in the opener against Concord and seven assists against Frostburg State, part of an impressive start to the 2023-24 campaign.
- Garvin Clarke is the third IUP scorer to average double figures (12.0), joining Dillard and Porterfield in playing at least 34 minutes/game. Clarke and Jaylen Stewart have handled facilitating the IUP offense this season.
- Porterfield is four field goals shy of moving into 15th place on the IUP all-time list.
- Looking to build some depth, the Hawks got some key bench contributions in the win against Frostburg State from Sarp Furtun and Damir Brooks.
SHIPPENSBURG AT A GLANCE
- Shippensburg is led by former IUP assistant Chris Fite, who spent the 2006-13 seasons with the Crimson Hawks. IUP went 149-65 over that span with Fite as the program's top assistant.
- Entering the week with a 3-1 mark overall, Shippensburg is back in action for the first time since a 71-69 win at the buzzer against Chestnut Hitt on November 20. Marcus Frank sunk a jumper as time expired, helping the Raiders battle back from a pair of 13-point deficits.
- Ty Crespo is the team's leading scorer (17.3) as the only Raider to average at least 30 minutes/game.
- Shippensburg mimics some of IUP's previous opponents this season in boasting a deep roster with 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes/game.
- The Raiders are second worst in the PSAC in scoring defense, allowing 83.8 points/game.
LOCK HAVEN AT A GLANCE
- Winning two straight contests to move back to .500 on the season, Lock Haven welcomes Pitt-Johnstown before hosting IUP as part of the PSAC crossover weekend.
- Friday's game against UPJ will be the first for Lock Haven since an 87-73 victory on November 16 against Roberts Wesleyan.
- Justice Shoats is third in the conference in steals/game (2.50), collecting 10 in four contests. Shoats has racked up 55 points over his last two outings, pouring in 31 points (11-16 FG) with six rebounds, eight assists and seven steals against Roberts Wesleyan.
- The Bald Eagles are fourth in the league in scoring defense (68.0) and convert over 48% of their shots as a team from the floor.
- Collin Jones has posted double figures in all four games for the Bald Eagles off the bench. Jones is essentially a starter, playing 30 minutes/contest in the early going with an efficient shooting mark from the floor (.625) and beyond the arc (.750; 6-8).
SERIES HISTORY
- IUP holds a 74-44 edge in the all-time series with Shippensburg, including a 59-30 advantage since 1951. An evenly-played series of late, IUP has won two of the last three against the Raiders.
- IUP has a 108-35 overall record against Lock Haven, including 12 straight victories since 2011. The Hawks are averaging just over 80 points/game during the winning streak.
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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 three setbacks this season, IUP boasts a 178-23 (.885) 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)
- 40 of their last 45 (40-5)
- 56 of their last 61 (56-5)
- 75 or their last 82 (75-7)
- 87 of their last 98 (87-11)
- 103 of their last 117 (103-14)
THAT'S A LOT OF WINS!
- Since the 2018-19 season, IUP has gone 125-13 (.905) 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 (402-111) 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 (.784) with at least 10 years of experience and 15th 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)
1. .859 -- Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (500-82, 18 yrs) *
2. .836 – Mark Few (Gonzaga) (692-136, 24 yrs) *
3. .826 – Matt Logie (Whitworth/Point Loma/Montana State) (277-59, 12 yrs) *
4. .824 – Clair Bee (Rider/LIU Brooklyn) (412-88, 21 yrs)
5. .822 – Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) (876-190, 41 yrs)
6. .811 – Bucky Harris (Jefferson) (240-56, 13 yrs)
7. .810 – Dolph Staley (Beloit) (238-56, 12 yrs)
8. .807 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (368-88, 14 yrs) *
9. .805 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (240-58, 10 yrs) *
10. .804 – John Wooden (Indiana State/UCLA) (664-162, 29 yrs)
11. .797 – John Kreese (College of Charleston) (400-108, 23 yrs)
12. .793 – Bob Bolen (Glenville State) (491-128, 20 yrs*)
13. .786 – Dave Robbins (Virginia Union) (713-194, 30 yrs)
14. .785 -- Josh Schertz (Indiana State (376, 103, 16 yrs)
NCAA Division II Active Head Coach Winning Percentage (min. 10 years' experience)
- .859 – Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (500-82, 18 yrs)
- .807 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (368-88, 14 yrs)
- .805 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (240-58, 10 yrs)
- .793 – Bob Bolen (Glenville State (491-128, 20 yrs)
- .758 – 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)
Career Field Goals Made
10. 554 – Joe DeLise (1950-51, 55-58)
11. 550 – Jamie Kimbrough (1955-59)
12. 546 – Ashton Smith (2008-12)
13. 545 – Julian Sanders (2008-12)
14. 544 – Malik Miller (2016-20)
15. 541 – Jeff Brown (1978-82)
17. 532 – Dante Lombardi (2015-19)
18. 501 -- Armoni Foster (2018-22)
Career Three-Point Field Goals Made
7. 195 -- Geoff Evans (1998-01)
8. 187 -- Aaron Faulkner (1999-02)
9. 181 -- Eddie Peterson (2002-06)
6. 738 – Sam Scott (1977-82)
7. 672 -- Mike Mitten (1977-81)
8. 665 --
Ethan Porterfield (2019-23
9. 653 -- Tom Kerstetter (1969-72)
10. 632 -- Bob Bence (1962-66)
Career Blocks
1. 207 -- Devon Cottrell (2012-17)
2. 162 -- Darryl Webb (2007-11)
3. 142 --
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.
