INDIANA, Pa. --  The IUP men's basketball program comes home for a quick stint against former IUP assistant coach, now head coach, Daniel Smay and the Penn State DuBois men's basketball team. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the KCAC on Wednesday, February 5.

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP (10-10, 5-7 PSAC) vs. Penn State DuBois (8-13, 5-6 PSUAC)
Wednesday, February 5 - 7:30 p.m. - Indiana, Pa. - KCAC
Social Media Updates: @IUP_MBB on X (formerly Twitter)
Media Coverage: Live Video (PSAC Digital Network) - Live Stats (Stat Broadcast) - Radio (U92.5FM)

COMING UP
IUP at Gannon
Saturday, February 8 - 7:30 PM - Highmark Events Center - Gannon, Pa.
Social Media Updates: @IUP_MBB on X (formerly Twitter)

IUP TIPOFF NOTES
>> The Hawks are averaging 73.6 PPG, 37.7 RPG, 12.0 APG, 7.5 SPG, and 3.6 BPG.
>> IUP is shooting .446 from the field, .333 beyond the arc, and .702 from the free throw line.
>> The top three shooters for IUP include Damir Brooks (.600 FG), Tyler Grove (.480 FG) and Kymani Merraro (.437 FG).
>> Freshmen Tyler Grove and Kymani Merraro have started all 20 games this season for the Crimson Hawks.
>> Redshirt junior guard Damir Brooks was awarded PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week on December 2nd.
>> Brooks is ranked 4th in the PSAC in blocked shots, recording 32 in 20 games.
>> IUP has three players with 20+ steals, including Ian Herring (36), Christian Moore (31) and Kymani Merraro (28). 
>> Herring, Moore, and Merraro rank 4th, 16th, and 21th respectively in the PSAC in steals.
>> Freshman Merraro hit the game-winning three pointer against Seton Hill on January 18th. 
>> Freshman Guard Ian Herring was named PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on January 21st. 
>> IUP plays significantly better at home this season, recording eight of their ten wins at home, including all six of their conference wins.
>> At home, the Crimson Hawks average 76.5 PPG, on the road, the Hawks average 70.3 PPG
>> The Hawks have struggled on the road, winning just two of their eight games away from the KCAC. 
>> IUP has a negative scoring margin of -58 when on the road compared to a positive margin of +90 at home.
>> The Hawks are 8-1 when leading at halftime.
>> IUP is 10-4 when they shoot better than their opponent and 0-5 when they shoot worse.
>> With Moore, Merraro, Grove, Brooks, and Furtun as starters, IUP's record is 9-6.
>> Four games this season have been decided by less than three points. With IUP being 3-1 in those contests.

PENN STATE DUBOIS AT A GLANCE
Currently on a four game win streak, the upcoming matchup against IUP is DuBois third matchup against PSAC opponents this year. Familiar with the PSAC is their head coach Daniel Smay who was an assistant coach for IUP during the 2022-23 season. Currently their team is averaging 77.6 PPG, 33.4 RPG, and 14.6 APG while shooting .440 from the field and .322 from the three point line. Leading scorer for the DuBois men's basketball team is Kaleb Pryor. Averaging 17.1 PPG and starting twenty of the twenty one games so far, the sophomore point guard drains his free throws with an 85.4% FT%. Forward Beau Verdill has also been a standout player for the Dubois men's basketball team. Currently in his junior season, Verdill has started for all twenty one games this year for the DuBois team for his skills as a deep ball threat and a dangerous ballhawk. Verdill leads his team in 3PT% at 38.9% and has recorded 84 steals this year for the Penn State DuBois basketball team.  

SERIES HISTORY
This is the first recorded matchup between IUP and Penn State DuBois men basketball programs. However, IUP has competed against fellow PSUAC programs including Penn State Altoona, Harrisburg, and New Kensington.  

SMAY RETURNS FOR ONE MORE
Returning to the KCAC once more to coach against IUP is former IUP assistant coach and now head coach of Penn State DuBois, Daniel Smay. Under Lombardi's wing in the historic 2022-23 season and aiding in the most winningest season in IUP program history, Smay looks to return to face against Lombardi at the place that housed historical success during his tenure with the Crimson Hawks. Smay took his team to a .500 record and a PSUAC tournament win in the quarterfinals in his first year as a coach for Penn State Dubois, now Smay faces his former mentor Joe Lombardi and the Crimson Hawks at the KCAC.

STANDOUT MOORE
Christian Moore, a transfer from New Hampshire, has led the team in scoring on eleven occasions, eight of which were above 20 points. His highest-scoring game came against Tiffin where he scored 26 points and shot 57.1% from the field. Moore is averaging 33.7 minutes per game, 17.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and has tallied 31 steals. Moore is currently ranked fifth in the PSAC in minutes at 672 total minutes played this season. 

FRESHMEN ON THE RISE
Merraro has made an impressive start to his collegiate career, carving his role as a generous ball handler, Merraro leads the Crimson Hawks in assists, logging 89 so far on the season, averaging 4.5 assists a game. This impressive skill ranks Merraro fifth in the PSAC in assists. Grove has also proved himself as a key piece for Lombardi's team. The 6'7 freshman has started all the games this season for the Crimson Hawks averaging 11.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG and playing 28.1 MPG. Herring has proved himself as a valuable sixth man for the Crimson Hawks with his unrelenting defensive skills, Herring has logged in 12 blocks and 35 steals so far this season. On January 21st, Herring was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week for his rigorous efforts against Pitt-Johnstown and Seton Hill. 

LOMBARDI AMONG TOP COACHES IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Now in his 43rd 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 19th season at the helm of the Crimson Hawks, Lombardi is the program's all-time leader in wins (427-131) 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, ranking third on the conference's all-time wins list. Lombardi ranks third among NCAA DII active head coaches in winning percentage (.765) with at least 10 years of experience and in the top 20 among all-time among all NCAA divisions in winning percentage with at least 10 years of experience.

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 seven setbacks last season, IUP boasts a 194-29 (.872) mark in home games since the venue opened, including postseason games. IUP has not lost more than seven games at the KCAC in a season since the building opened.
At the KCAC, the IUP Men's team have won:
    >> 8 of 10 games in 2024-25 (8-2)
    >> 11 of 18 games in 2023-24 (11-7)
    >> 17 of 18 games in 2022-23 (17-1; lone loss in Atlantic Region Championship) 
    >> 21 of 22 games in 2021-22 (21-1)
    >> 2 of 2 games in 2020-21 (2-0)
    >> 16 of 16 games in 2019-20 (16-0)
    >> 19 of 21 games in 2018-19 (19-2)

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS
Blocks: Brooks (32), Herring (12), Triggs (9), Grove (8), Furtun (8)
Steals: Herring (36), Moore (31), Merraro (28), Brooks (19)

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