THE GAME AT A GLANCE
The IUP men's basketball team returns to the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex after a Thanksgiving break to face the Spartans of St. Thomas Aquinas College. It is the Crimson Hawks' second game this season at the KCAC. IUP defeated D'Youville University on Nov. 23.

The Crimson Hawks enter the matchup with a 3-1 record, with their only loss coming on a neutral court against Ashland University in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

IUP TIPOFF NOTES
>> IUP returns five players who started at least 25 games last season.
>> The Crimson Hawks return four players who averaged double-digit points last season, including leading scorer Christian Moore.
>> This season will mark IUP Head Coach Joe Lombardi's 20th year at the helm for the Crimson Hawks. He ranks in the top five in active Division II coaches in wins with 433 wins, 267 of which, came in PSAC play.
>> Redshirt senior Dallis Dillard opened the season having never recorded more than five assists in a game during his career. In four games this season, Dillard has already logged two games with at least five assists, including a career-best seven in IUP's loss to Ashland. Dillard has totaled 13 assists over his last two games and led the Crimson Hawks in assists in each contest.
>> The Crimson Hawks have protected the ball through four games, committing fewer turnovers than they have forced in each contest this season.
>> Kymani Merraro was the first Crimson Hawk to be named PSAC Freshman of the Year, as he was awarded for his performance, starting all 30 games for the Crimson Hawks in 2024-25, and ranked fourth in the PSAC in assists.
>> The top three scorers for the Crimson Hawks include Dillard (17.5), followed by Merraro (15.5), and Christian Moore (13.3)
>> Lombardi has been utilizing his deep bench, six Crimson Hawks average a minimum of 20.0 MPG.
>> Emphasizing efficiency first, six Crimson Hawks are shooting above .500, Brooks leads the way with a sharp .792 FG%.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS AT A GLANCE
The Spartans enter the matchup with IUP at 3-2 and carry a two-game win streak after their most recent victory against Post University, 89-72. St. Thomas Aquinas is averaging 85.2 points and 37.0
rebounds per game while shooting better than 50% from the field.
Freshman guard Ky Panda-Massey was named ECC Rookie of the Week on Monday. He shot 58% from the field last week and averaged double-figure points in three games. The Spartans are led by head coach Matthew Capell, now in his fourth season. St. Thomas Aquinas has posted an 80-22 record in 102 games under Capell, including a 25-10 finish last season and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The team has also captured the ECC regular-season and tournament titles in two of Capell's first three seasons.

PREVIOUS CONTEST VERSUS ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
The teams have met once before, in 2024, when IUP edged The two programs have met twice, splitting the matchups. The most recent meeting came in November 2023, when the Spartans defeated the Crimson Hawks 81-64. The 2023 matchup was the first between the teams since New Year's Day 1992.

I'M BACK
After missing more than a year due to injury, IUP redshirt senior Dallis Dillard is back with a vengeance. Dillard is leading the Crimson Hawks with 17.5 points in 29 minutes
per game. He has totaled 12 steals and 19 rebounds through four games. Entering the season, Dillard had never recorded a game with five or more assists in his IUP career. He now has two such performances in his previous two games, highlighted by a career-high seven assists against Ashland, followed by six against D'Youville. Each total stood as a team high for its respective game.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS
IUP sophomore Ian Herring has taken rebounding to another level, averaging 8.3 boards per game through four contests. In a win over Lincoln (Pa.), Herring pulled down 15 rebounds and served as a defensive spark for the Crimson Hawks.

THE BALL IS A DIAMOND
The Hawks have prioritized ball security, ranking third in the PSAC in assist-to-turnover ratio. IUP is averaging five more assists than turnovers per game through four contests, carrying a 1.51 ratio. Dallis Dillard leads IUP with 15 assists this season, averaging 3.8 per game, and ranks among the top 15 assist leaders in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. He also sits inside the PSAC's top 15 in total assists through four games.

HOME SWEET HOME
IUP has played four home games on campus this season, but Saturday's contest marks only the team's second in its primary home venue, the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. IUP opened the season's first weekend against Concord University and Lincoln University of Pennsylvania at Memorial Fieldhouse, the program's former home arena. The Crimson Hawks have been strong at the KCAC in recent seasons, posting a 95-15 home record there since 2018.