INDIANA, Pa. –  The IUP men's basketball program readies for another tough road contest, this time heading to Erie for a matchup with No. 20/14 Gannon on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. tipoff.
 
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP (9-4, 6-1 PSAC) at No. 20/14 Gannon (11-2, 5-2)
Saturday, January 13, 2024 – 3:00 p.m. – Hagerty Family Events Center – Erie, Pa.
Game Coverage: Live Video (PSAC Digital Network) – Live Stats – Live Audio (U92.5FM)
Social Media Updates: @IUP_MBB on X (formerly Twitter)
 
TIPOFF NEWS AND NOTES

• IUP has won eight of the last nine games and enters the week with a 6-1 mark in conference play. IUP has posted a combined 104-12 (.896) record in regular season conference play since the 2017-18 season.
• Ethan Porterfield continues climbing up the school's all-time scoring list, entering the game with 1,570 career points. Currently ninth all time in career scoring, he needs 34 points to surpass Dante Lombardi (1,603) for eighth in school history.
• IUP is challenged with contrasting styles to begin the PSAC West slate this week. The Hawks took down a deliberate Mercyhurst squad with a 66-54 victory on Wednesday, now set for a lightning-quick Gannon side that presses consistently and leads the nation in scoring average (111.1).
• IUP has gone a combined 45-3 in the month of January since the 2017-18 season, including a 23-1 home mark in January games over that span.
• Saturday marks the nation's top scoring offense in Gannon and the league's second-best scoring defense in IUP, allowing 65.2 points/game. The Golden Knights have had a big resurgence under the direction of first-year head coach Jordan Fee after winning three games in 2022-23.
• Garvin Clarke returned to the IUP lineup for the first time in the new year, providing a big boost for the Hawks. In his return, Clarke posted 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.
• The Crimson Hawks used a decisive 16-0 second half run against Mercyhurst, seizing control for good. IUP made several highlight-reel plays on both sides of the ball to regain the lead against the Lakers, including an alley-oop off a steal from Porterfield to Clarke.
• Bryce Radford has racked up a combined 46 points over the last two games for IUP. Jaylen Stewart has also taken his play up a notch of late, averaging 16.3 PPG and 5.3 APG on 48.7% shooting in the last three contests.
• IUP HC Joe Lombardi is 23-11 lifetime against Gannon, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings since the 2015-16 season (including 2020-21 season).
• Saturday is a homecoming for assistant coach Steve Piotrowicz, an Erie native who returned for his second stint on the IUP coaching staff this season. Piotrowicz played collegiately at Gannon (2009-12) and served as the head coach at Cathedral Prep in Erie for four seasons, his alma mater and the site of Saturday's game as Gannon's Highmark Events center undergoes renovations. Piotrowicz captured a state title at the helm of Cathedral Prep in 2021.
• Something irregular over the years, IUP will be on the other side of facing a nationally-ranked opponent. The Crimson Hawks have been consistently ranked the last several seasons, including multiple weeks at number one in 2022-23.

 
GANNON AT A GLANCE

• Under the direction of head coach Jordan Fee, who arrived at Gannon following a stint as the top assistant at Nova Southeastern, the Golden Knights have quickly turned around their fortunes from a season ago.
• In addition to the high-powered scoring attack, the Golden Knights rank among the national leaders in several other statistical categories, including first in turnover margin (+11.5) and turnovers forced per game (25.6) and second in steals (14.4).
• Josh Omojafo has taken a big leap in production in head coach Jordan Fee's new system, posting 20.6 PPG. Overall, seven Gannon players average at least nine points/game.
• The Golden Knights got back in the win column with a 117-96 road victory against nearby Edinboro on January 10. The Knights' conference losses came against Millersville (December 30) and then No. 9/6 California (Pa.) (January 6).

 
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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 183-23 (.888) 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) 
  • 45 of their last 50 (45-5) 
  • 61 of their last 66 (61-5) 
  • 80 or their last 87 (80-7)
  • 92 of their last 103 (92-11)
  • 108 of their last 122 (108-14)

 
THAT'S A LOT OF WINS!

• Since the 2018-19 season, IUP has gone 132-14 (.904) 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.

 
THE REIGNING, DEFENDING PSAC CHAMPIONS

• IUP won its fourth consecutive PSAC Championship with a 54-53 win against Mercyhurst at Shippensburg on March 5, 2023.
• It marked the 13th PSAC Tournament championship in program history and is seventh conference title under HC Joe Lombardi, the most among active PSAC coaches and the second most in conference history.
• IUP's 13 titles are second behind Cheyney's 15.
• Ethan Porterfield was named the PSAC Tournament MVP for the second consecutive season, helping the carry the Hawks to victory throughout the conference tournament.

 
CLARKE CARVING UP THE OPPOSITION  

• Stepping in as the team's starting point guard after transferring in from Akron, Garvin Clarke returned from a two-game absence on January 10. The PSAC West Player of the Week on December 11, Clarke is fourth in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (2.04).  
• Clarke has been a primary distributor for the Hawks, but has also taken more of a role in scoring the basketball with three outings of at least 20 points in the last six games.  
• He ranks third in the league in assists/game (5.2), passing out a career-high nine helpers in an all-around effort against Mansfield on December 18.  

LOMBARDI AMONG THE ELITE COACHES IN ALL OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL

• Now in his 42nd overall 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 (409-112) 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).
• He is one of four coaches in PSAC men's basketball history to reach at least 400 career wins, now three wins shy of matching Edinboro's Greg Walcavich for third on the conference's all-time wins list.
• 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)
1. .859 -- Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (507-83, 18 yrs) *
2. .833 – Mark Few (Gonzaga) (699-140, 24 yrs) *
3. .824 – Clair Bee (Rider/LIU Brooklyn) (412-88, 21 yrs)
4. .822 – Adolph Rupp (Kentucky) (876-190, 41 yrs)
T5. .811 – Bucky Harris (Jefferson) (240-56, 13 yrs)
T6. .811 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (249-58, 10 yrs) *
7. .810 – Dolph Staley (Beloit) (238-56, 12 yrs)
T8. .809 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (376-89, 14 yrs) *
T8. .808 – Matt Logie (Whitworth/Point Loma/Montana State) (283-67, 12 yrs) *
10. .804 – John Wooden (Indiana State/UCLA) (664-162, 29 yrs)
11. .797 – John Kreese (College of Charleston) (400-108, 23 yrs)
12. .791 – Bob Bolen (Glenville State) (496-131, 20 yrs) *
13 .786 – Dave Robbins (Virginia Union) (713-194, 30 yrs)
T14. .785 -- Josh Schertz (Indiana State (384-104, 16 yrs) *
T14. .785 – Joe Lombardi (IUP) (409-112, 18 yrs) *
16. .784 – Jerry Tarkanian (Fresno St/Long Beach St/UNLV) (729-201, 31 yrs)
 
NCAA Division II Active Head Coach Winning Percentage (min. 10 years' experience)
1. .859 – Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty/Nova Southeastern) (507-83, 18 yrs)
2. .811 – Tom Brown (West Texas A&M) (249-58, 10 yrs)
3. .809 – Ben McCollum (Northwest Missouri State) (376-89, 14 yrs)
4. .791 – Bob Bolen (Glenville State (496-131, 20 yrs)
5. .785 – Joe Lombardi (IUP) (409-112, 18 yrs)
6. .757 – Jeff Young (Walsh) (446-143, 21 yrs)
 
PSAC Men's Basketball All-Time Coaching Victories
Note: Accounts for victories while coaching at a PSAC school only
1. 559 – Charles Chronister (Bloomsburg; 1972-2002)
2. 553 – Bob Rukavina (Pitt-Johnstown; 1989-Present) *
3. 412 – Greg Walcavich (Edinboro; 1990-2012)
4. 409—Joe Lombardi (IUP; 2006-Present) *
5. 391 – Jeff Wilson (East Stroudsburg; 2002-Present) *
6. 370 – Dick Delaney (West Chester; 1987-2008)
 
PORTERFIELD AMONG THE TOP PLAYERS IN PROGRAM HISTORY

• Ethan Porterfield is the most experienced starter on the IUP roster and has been a key contributor during the recent run of success the last few seasons. The two-time reigning conference tournament MVP, Porterfield has won 101 collegiate games during his tenure with the Hawks.
• Porterfield reached 1,500 career points during IUP's win against Mansfield on December 18. He is one of just four players in program history with at least 1,500 points and 700 rebounds.
• This season, Porterfield ranks near the top of the PSAC in several statistical areas, including: points per game (7th; 17.9), rebounds per game (4rd; 9.2), double-doubles (1st; 6), minutes/game (3rd; 36:18), total three-point field goals made (6th; 34) and assist/turnover ratio (7th; 1.67).
• Now in his fourth season as a full-time starter, Porterfield has battled past injury and illness over the last few months to put together a storied career with the Crimson Hawks. He is among the top 15 in program history in several categories, including points (9th), field goals made (5th), three-point field goals made (T7th), rebounds (6th) and blocks (3rd).

RECORD BOOK WATCH
Career Points
6. 1,635 – Ashton Smith (2008-12)
7. 1,621 – Eddie Peterson (2002-06)
8. 1,603 -- Dante Lombardi (2015-19)
9. 1,570 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
10. 1,564 -- Jack Crossan (1952-56)
11. 1,544 – Armoni Foster (2018-22)
12. 1,535 – Derrick Freeman (1993-96)
13. 1,526 -- Anthony Glover, Jr. (2014-18)
14. 1,525 -- Malik Miller (2016-20)
15. 1,510 -- Joe DeLise (1950-51, 55-58)


Career Field Goals Made
4. 651 – Jacobo Diaz (2015-19)
5. 588 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
6. 585 – Sam Scott (1977-82)
7. 578 – Gary Lupek (1966-69)
T8. 572 – Randy Allen (1971-74); 572 – Eddie Peterson (2002-06)
10. 571 – Robert Misenko (1992-96)
11. 554 – Joe DeLise (1950-51, 55-58)
12. 550 – Jamie Kimbrough (1955-59)

Career Three-Point Field Goals Made
5. 229 – Anthony Glover Jr. (2015-18)
6. 200 – Malik Miller (2016-20)
T7. 195 -- Geoff Evans (1998-01); 195 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
9. 187 -- Aaron Faulkner (1999-02)
10. 181 -- Eddie Peterson (2002-06)
11. 164 -- Devante Chance (2011-15)
 
Career Rebounds
5. 826 – Robert Misenko (1992-96)
6. 745 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Present)
7. 738 – Sam Scott (1977-82)
8. 672 -- Mike Mitten (1977-81)
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. 145 -- Ethan Porterfield (2019-Pres)
 
Three-Pointers Made (Game)
T1. 8 -- John Sanow; Edinboro (2/18/87)
T1. 8 -- Geoff Evans; Strayer (2/3/01)
T1. 8 -- Dante Lombardi; E. Stroudsburg (1/16/19)
T1. 8 – Bryce Radford; Shepherd (1/3/24)
 
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB. 
 

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