INDIANA, Pa. - The IUP men's basketball program begins the new year with a home matchup against the Thiel Tomcats, tipoff is set for 7:30 PM inside the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. 

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP Crimson Hawks (6-6, 3-3 PSAC) vs. Thiel Tomcats (5-5 overall, 4-3 PAC)
Thursday, January 2 - 7:30 PM - Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex - Indiana, Pa.
Media Coverage: Live Video (PSAC Digital Network) – Live Stats (Stat Broadcast)
Social Media Updates: @IUP_MBB on X (formerly Twitter)

COMING UP 
IUP at Edinboro
Monday, January 6 - 3:00 PM - McComb Fieldhouse - Edinboro, Pa. 
 

IUP TIPOFF NOTES 
>> The Hawks are currently averaging 72.3 PPG, 11.2 APG, 37.8 RPG, 6.9 SPG, and 3.4 BPG. 
>> IUP is shooting .437 from the field and .309 beyond the arc.
>> Top shooters for the Hawks are Damir Brooks (.544 FG), Ian Herring (.500 FG), and Kymani Merraro (.426 FG).
>> Tyler Grove and Kymani Merraro, both freshmen, have started all 12 games this season. Three Hawks rank in the top 25 in average minutes played. Moore ranks second averaging 35.4 MPG, Merraro places seventh with 33.2 MPG, and Brooks rounds out the top 14 with 31.4 MPG. 
>> Redshirt junior guard Damir Brooks was awarded PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week on December 2.
>> IUP has done slightly better at home this season, winning four of the five games at the KCAC. 
>> The Hawks won four games when they scored 70 points or more and lost five games when their opponent scored 70 or more. 
>> IUP began the season with five wins in November but lost four of the five games in December. 
>> Both teams have split the season so far. 
>> The Tomcats are averaging 9.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game compared to IUP's 6.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game. 
>> Thiel's freshman Rob Thomas leads the team in points, steals, and blocks. He has been awarded PAC Newcomer of the Week three times this season, twice in back-to-back weeks. 
>> Thiel is coming off a win against Bethany after splitting their previous two games. 
>> Head coach Tim Loomis is in his 31st overall season coaching and 19th season with the Tomcats, posting a .428 winning percentage.

THIEL AT A GLANCE
Thiel's overall record is 5-5 and 4-3 in the PAC. They opened the season with a win against Penn State Shenango but dropped the next three. The Tomcats are coming off a win against Bethany, 83-72 on December 10. The Tomcats are currently averaging 70.0 PPG, 37.1 RPG, 9.6 APG, 13.6 turnovers per game, 9.0 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game. They are shooting .424 from the field, .282 beyond the arc, and .701 at the free throw line. 

Triple threat Rob Thomas is the lead scorer for the team and leads the team in both steals and blocks. He is averaging 11.8 PPG and has started five of the 10 games this season. He is shooting .538 from the field. .800 beyond the arc, and .800 from the free throw line. He has grabbed 17 steals and posted 11 blocks, a high of nine steals and four blocks against Westminster (Pa.). He has been awarded PAC Newcomer of the Week three times this season.

SERIES HISTORY
This will be the team's 18th overall meeting with IUP claiming 16 of the 17. This will be the first matchup in over a decade, the last meeting took place in November of 2012 when IUP won 84-59. 

STANDOUT MOORE
Christian Moore, a transfer from New Hampshire, has led the team in scoring on six occasions, all above 20 points besides the latest lead was with 19 points. His highest-scoring game came against Tiffin where he scored 26 points, shot .571% from the field, and made four three-pointers. Moore is averaging 35.4 minutes per game, 4.1 RPG, 18.2 PPG, and has tallied 18 steals with five coming against Lock Haven. Moore ranks in the PSAC top 25 in multiple categories including a fifth-place rank in three-pointers made per game (2.8) and second in the PSAC for minutes per game (35.4).

BROOKS NAMED PSAC WEST DEF. ATH. OF THE WEEK
Redshirt junior guard Damir Brooks was awarded PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week on December 2 for his defensive efforts against Lincoln. Brooks posted his third double-double this season with 12 rebounds and 10 points. His 12 rebounds marked a career high for him along with matching his personal best of three blocks. He also added an assist and steal playing 30 minutes. 

Brooks has also been climbing the rankings among the PSAC, currently ranked fifth in rebounds per game (8.3) and fifth in blocks per game (1.6).

MERRARO ON THE RISE
Freshman Merraro has had a hot start to his collegiate career. He has scored 15 points or more in five games, including his high of 21 points against USC Beaufort. He currently averages 13.4 PPG, 4.3 APG, 4.2 RPG, has grabbed 18 steals, and is shooting .426 from the field. With his free throw percentage, he ranks 20th in the PSAC (.773) and is fifth with 52 assists. He grabbed six steals at Millersville, tying Moore for first on the team with 18 steals. 

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Blocks: Brooks (19), Furton (6), Grove (5), Triggs (5), Herring (3), Moore (3)
Steals: Moore (18), Brooks (14), Herring (15), Merraro (18), Furton (8), Grove (1), Triggs (3), Pickens (1), MacNamara (1)

Follow 
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP men's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.