INDIANA, Pa. – IUP men's basketball head coach
Joe Lombardi is set to lead the fourth-ranked Crimson Hawks for his 500th career game on Wednesday, February 15 against Edinboro. Tipoff from the KCAC is set for 7:30 p.m.
IUP (24-1, 18-1) bounced back from its initial loss of the season last week at Mercyhurst with a pair of divisional wins, coming against Pitt-Johnstown and Clarion. The Hawks slipped three spots to fourth in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Poll, released Tuesday afternoon. With the victory against Clarion, combined with a Mercyhurst loss to Cal U (Pa.), IUP clinched at least a share of the PSAC West regular season title.
Lombardi, who is in his 17th season at the helm, has turned IUP into one of the top programs in the nation at any level of the course of his career. With a mark of 392-107 (.786), Lombardi is fourth among active DII men's college basketball coaches in winning percentage with at least 10 years of experience.
The Hawks boast the highest winning percentage in NCAA DII basketball since 2019-20, going 85-6 (.934) overall with marks of 28-2, 33-3 and 21-0, not counting the 2020-21 season where most schools did not play.
Edinboro (5-18, 3-15) dropped its seventh consecutive outing with a narrow 68-66 setback to Slippery Rock last weekend. The Scots placed four in double figures, including a double-double for former IUP recruit Dominique Keyes with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
GAME INFORMATION – EDINBORO
TIPOFF NOTES
- All six spots in the conference tournament in the PSAC West are already locked up with IUP continuing to close in on the top overall seed. Edinboro has been eliminated from postseason contention in seventh place.
- The Hawks claimed their 11th PSAC West regular season title in the last 12 years. The program boasts 17 total PSAC West regular season crowns since 1970.
- Tomiwa Sulaiman claimed his fifth weekly conference honor from the league this week, earning PSAC West Athlete of the Week on February 13. Sulaiman averaged a double-double with 19.7 points and 12.0 rebounds in three games last week, adding six blocks and four steals.
- IUP is 57-4 (.934) overall dating back to last season and 118-10 since 2018-19. The Hawks have won all but four contests by double digits this season on their way to a 24-1 start.
- IUP remains first in the nation in scoring defense (.381) and fourth nationally in scoring defense (58.9).
- The Hawks needed a big second half run to escape with a 70-63 road victory at Clarion last time out. IUP was down by as many as 14 in the second half, clamping down on the defensive end and placing three in double figures to complete the regular season sweep.
- Sulaiman poured in 23 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks for IUP. Ethan Porterfield added 15 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes, while Shawndale Jones dropped in 18 points with five rebounds and three steals against the Golden Eagles.
- IUP needed a big second half in a 79-61 road win at Edinboro on January 23. Jaylen Stewart provided a big boost for IUP at Edinboro, posting 17 of the Hawks' 33 opening half points, finishing with a game-high 22.
- Lombardi is 26-8 lifetime against Edinboro, including 26 wins in the last 28 meetings.
