INDIANA, Pa. – The third-ranked IUP men's basketball program is back home, taking the court for the first time in a week against New Haven on Saturday, November 26. Tipoff from the KCAC is set for 4:30 p.m.
Any fans attending the NCAA DII Football Playoff game earlier in the day at miller Stadium can show their ticket at the KCAC for a free general admission seat to the men's basketball game. IUP controlled Walsh in a 74-60 victory last time out on the road, despite a final surge from the Cavaliers over the final few minutes.
New Haven is another tough test for the Crimson Hawks in the conference slate. The Chargers have won consecutive contests entering the weekend, including a 69-65 overtime clash against Saint Rose on November 22.
GAME INFORMATION – NEW HAVEN
TIPOFF NOTES
- IUP put together a complete effort in a 74-60 road win against Walsh. Walsh used a quick run to slice into a large IUP advantage at the end as the Crimson Hawks controlled the contest from the beginning.
- Shawndale Jones and Tomiwa Sulaiman swept the weekly men's basketball awards from the PSAC for the Western division on November 21. Jones, who averaged 23.0 points and 6.0 rebounds last week, won PSAC West Athlete of the Week honors. Sulaiman nearly averaged a double-double last week behind 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, earning PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week laurels.
- IUP has played strong team defense all season long, limiting all four opponents to under 36% shooting from the floor. The Crimson Hawks have recorded five steals or more in every game this season.
- Ethan Porterfield hit 1,000 career points with a pull-up three for the initial basket of the second half against Walsh. Porterfield becomes the 36th player in program history to reach the scoring milestone, earning it in just over two full seasons.
- Jones is one of four players in the PSAC to average 20 points per game or better. He has notched at least 20 in all four games for IUP this season, also making 20 consecutive foul shots entering Saturday's game. Jones has 900 career points between his time at both NJIT and IUP.
SCOUTING NEW HAVEN
- 2022-23 Overview | Overall: 2-1 | NE10: 2-1| Home: 1-0 | Away: 1-1 | Neutral: 0-0
- Tyrone Perry posted a game-high 22 points, helping New Haven emerge with an overtime victory against Saint Rose.
- Perry (18.3) is one of two Chargers averaging at least 18.0 points/game, along with Davontrey Thomas (18.0).
- The Chargers are allowing 68.0 points/game and are shooting 52.9% from the field as a team.
- Head coach Ted Hotaling is in his 12th season at New Haven, posting a 175-138 (.559) record during that span.
- New Haven was picked atop the NE10 Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Majur Najak is the team's leading rebounder (8.7) with Quashan Lane pacing the squad with 15 assists.
IUP IN THE POLLS
- IUP enters the weekend ranked No. 3 in the NABC Coaches' Poll and No. 2 in the D2SIDA poll.
- IUP has been ranked in the top 10 over 50 times, dating back to the 2019-20 preseason poll.
- This is the 18th straight week the Hawks are ranked in the top-10 of both polls, which includes three polls for the 2022-23 season.
DEFENSE A FOCAL POINT SO FAR IN 2022-23
- The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and rank ninth nationally in scoring defense (56.2). IUP leads the nation in three-point percentage defense, allowing opponents to convert at just 20.5% from deep, while shooting 33.2% from the field.
- IUP is fourth in the conference with 9.5 steals/game. The Crimson Hawks have nine players in their lineup with at least two steals through just four games.
- IUP has ranked in the top 10 nationally among NCAA DII schools in scoring defense in both 2021-22 (62.1) and 2019-20 (65.3).
- IUP has limited all four of its opponents to 60 points or fewer.
- Jones and Sulaiman have seven steals each for the Crimson Hawks in four games, each among the top 15 in the PSAC.
- Porterfield has six blocks this season and has 112 for his career, good for third all-time in program history. He is 50 blocks away from tying IUP Hall of Famer Darryl Webb for second all-time.
THE REIGNING, DEFENDING PSAC CHAMPIONS
- IUP won its third consecutive PSAC Championship with a 63-52 win against Millersville at the KCAC on March 5, 2022.
- It marked the 12th PSAC Tournament championship in program history and s sixth conference title under HC Joe Lombardi, the most among active PSAC coaches and the second most in conference history.
- IUP's 12 titles are second behind Cheyney's 15.
- Ethan Porterfield was named the PSAC Tournament MVP, averaging 15.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG.
