GAME 22

IUP (17-4 | 12-3 PSAC) vs Slippery Rock  (15-8 |  8-7 PSAC)
Saturday,  February 14, 2026 | 3:000 p.m.
Indiana, Pa. | Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex

Stream: PSAC Digital Network with Carson Lejeune and Riley Yonchiuk
Radio: U92 FM with Jack Benedict and Tony Coccagna

THE GAME AT A GLANCE

The IUP men's basketball team heads back home on a four game winning streak to face Slippery Rock. Tipoff is set for 3:00PM inside of the KCAC.

IUP came out of the half blasting, scoring a total of 51-points to win their second-to-last road game of the regular season. Slippery Rock has found momentum in their last two matchups, scoring 80+ points with a win in both contests.

TIP OFF NOTES
>> IUP head coach Joe Lombardi is in his 20th season leading the Crimson Hawks. He ranks among the top five active Division II coaches in wins with 447, including 277 in PSAC play.
>> IUP looks to sweep Slippery Rock for the first time in three seasons. IUP won the previous matchup earlier in the season with the help of Christian Moore and Dallis Dillard whom combined for 49-points.
>> Dillard's 30-point, 10 rebound, and 11 assist performance against Penn-St. DuBois is IUP's first triple-double since the 2021 season.
>> Dillard has scored 15+ points in the last five contests.
>> As a team, IUP has been efficient when making field goals. The Crimson Hawks rank fourth in team FG% in the PSAC (.483).
>> IUP radiates a strong defensive presense on the court. As a team, IUP allows the second-least PPG in the PSAC (72.5).
>> Individually, Dillard leads the PSAC in steals (59) while Damir Brooks is ranked sixth in blocked shots (24).
>> Moore has been an extremely reliable option for Lombardi and the Crimson Hawks. Ranking sixth in the PSAC in scoring (18.0).
>> Moore has also been producing exceptional numbers on defense, logging the second-most steals (30) on IUP.

SLIPPERY ROCK AT A GLANCE
IUP welcomes Slippery Rock to the KCAC. The Rock hold an overall record of 15-8 and a conference record of 8-7. Currently on a two-game winning streak, Slippery Rock's most recent matchup was a two point victory against Clarion at home. Freshman guard Brady Mayo scored a three-point shot with three seconds left in the game to give Slippery Rock the lead.

Leading scorer for The Rock is freshman Dame Givner. Excelling at the guard position, Givner has started all 23 games for Slippery Rock scoring 15.9 PPG per contest while grabbing 3.9 REB/G. Defensively, Givner leads his team with 33 steals.

Kerwin Prince is another star player on Slippery Rock's roster. The Graduate Student has scored 15+ points in five of the last six contests. Three of these contests, Prince logged a double-double.

SERIES HISTORY
IUP leads the all-time series 67-31 against Slippery Rock. The Crimson Hawks have won the last two contests against Slippery Rock. IUP's first victory in this winstreak includes a 69-67 on the road victory in the PSAC Tournament First Round where the Crimson Hawks crawled out of a 13-point deficit with the help of PSAC Freshman of the Year award winner Kymani Merraro who scored 25-points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded four steals.

ONE OF THE BEST
Head coach Joe Lombardi has established himself as one of the most successful coaches in Division II basketball during his 20-year career. Lombardi ranks among the top five active coaches with 448 wins and a .759 winning percentage. His 448 victories are most in program history.

ALL-AROUND ELITE SQUAD
With the return of Dillard combined with the development of the younger players, Lombardi's squad have solidified an elite unit that plays at the elite level on both sides of the ball. Presenting a strong effort on the offensive side of the ball, IUP is ranked fourth in the PSAC in scoring offense (85.4). Putting up an even better effort on defense, IUP is ranked second in the conference in scoring defense (72.1). The Crimson Hawks point margin of +13.3 is second best in the PSAC.

DILLARD DOMINATION
After being out for the last two seasons with injury, redshirt senior Dallis Dillard has elevated his play to the elite level for the Crimson Hawks. Dillard leads the team in total points (430), assists (109), field goals made (152) and total minutes played (698). Dillard has been named to the top 25 watch list for the Trevor Hudgins Award, a prestigious award presented annually to a senior who has compiled the best four or five year career in small college basketball.

BALL HAWKS
Lombardi's aggressive defensive stratagem has paid off successfully for IUP's defense throughout the year. The Crimson Hawks rank second in turnover margin (+3.33) in the PSAC. Leading the defensive efforts for IUP is Dillard who has accumulated 59 steals throughout the season so far. Five other Crimson Hawks have also accumulated 15+ steals.

CONSISTENT THREAT
Senior guard Christian Moore has quietly been one of the most productive scorers in the PSAC, as well as for IUP. He has reached double figures in all but one game this season. Moore's 18.0 PPG is second-best on his team and has been a consistent defensive menace, logging 30 steals on top of his elite offensive capabilities.