Iup basketball

[EyeoftheHawk]

As expected Porterfield dressed but took the day off. He was dressed for emergency purposes only. He didn't even warm up.

Joe had Tomiwa in the 49 seconds left. That's just a WTF moment. No other way to say it.


Ousmane just produces. Plain and simple.


Clancy is a clone of the kid from Mercyhurst a few years ago. They even look the same. He just parks in a spot and waits for the ball. He can shoot.

I think that kid is the Mercyhurst kid and he taught himself to shoot right-handed to throw everyone off the trail.

Ous is fun to watch, that’s for sure. He’s a menace on defense with those long arms. A little clumsy on the offensive end, but it’s hard to be like silk when you don’t get the reps. If he can give 2-4 minutes a game it helps.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

As expected Porterfield dressed but took the day off. He was dressed for emergency purposes only. He didn't even warm up.

Joe had Tomiwa in the 49 seconds left. That's just a WTF moment. No other way to say it.


Ousmane just produces. Plain and simple.


Clancy is a clone of the kid from Mercyhurst a few years ago. They even look the same. He just parks in a spot and waits for the ball. He can shoot.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Kent is a hot head but he isn't a bad dude. He's just stuck on a terrible team.

The crowd tee'd off on him and he eventually lost it. He was a good sport. Gave a kiss goodbye.

I'd love to have that dude off our bench.

Herster was in his usual cheerleader uniform. He couldn't 'get mine' today.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Kent blew up as expected

[IUPalum]

Hothead Kent lost his mind!!!

[EyeoftheHawk]

Diop may have a rib injury. He’s wearing a jacket under his jersey.

That said, the big man makes things happen out there.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Porterfield is on a "rest" day today as expected.

IUP is very deep and it’s showing today. Nice to see Ethan just sitting around. I’d still like to see Diop get some minutes. I was a little surprised to see MacNamara get in ahead of him. That spoke volumes about the depth chart. That said, nice job by Joe stealing some minutes there. Gannon looked gassed at the end of the half and they’re really only playing six guys. They also have foul trouble. If they don’t make a run to start this half it’s going to get away from them quickly.

[IUPalum]

Porterfield is on a "rest" day today as expected.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Definitely programs that headed in opposite directions since then. I expect Gannon to start the game inspired today, but once IUP pulls in front we might get more hard fouls than field goals from the visitors. I hate this game because Gannon has absolutely nothing to play for while IUP has everything to play for in the big picture. I expect IUP to cover today assuming the line is around 12-15. I see Gannon scoring around 55 today with IUP going for low 70s. I’d be shocked if Gannon got close to the 67 they got in the first meeting.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Hard to believe, but it's been 9 years since the infamous Silent Night game. Every Gannon visit reminds me of it. That was GU's last win in Indiana.

A record crowd (to this day) filled the KCAC that night.

IUP, of course, blew a halftime lead and lost.

It's amazing what has happened to these two programs since that night.

IUP went to the national title game the following year. Gannon beat IUP 2 of 3 that year, including a walk-off Hail Mary in the PSAC final at the Hammermill. The Knights we're upset the following week by Slippery Rock in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament (a team they hammered three times that year).

IUP then went on a very long winning streak against Gannon. John Reilly was eventually run out of town. Kelvin Jefferson has been there since mostly with mixed results. In fact, Gannon's lone win against IUP since that PSAC Final came during the Covid season when GU played a season and IUP agreed to play a game after two practices. So, take that game for what it's worth.

Had SRU not upset Gannon that Saturday down at West Liberty, I'm not sure Joe would have got past them in Round 2. Perhaps.

The Saturday night games of that era had a special vibe. The coaches, all younger then, often put on quite a show, too.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's well put. And I can't say I disagree with you.

The Porterfield item is a major issue we'll have to monitor. A lot changes if he's not available for a stretch. They change pretty dramatically without Ethan in the lineup in that they can play much faster. Brooks is a big dude but can fly. Diop can really run, too, for his size. With Ethan in they have to play a slower pace and a more-structured offense. They are good at both but are probably less predicable with Brooks in the lineup. He doesn't shoot the three like Ethan but he also poses the threat of alley-oops, etc.

IUP has a very difficult stretch starting tomorrow with Gannon, (at) Mercyhurst and Pitt-Johnstown (that's a tough three games in 5 days).

Gannon is who they are at this point but, as usual, it will be a physical war with them tomorrow. That's just how they play and just how every IUP/GU game is -- chippy, dirty, cheap shots, etc. Mercyhurst has a bye tomorrow. So, some stars are perhaps aligning for them Monday night.

UPJ is also a very tough game for IUP. They are extremely tough in a half court game and Joe wanted to beat them at their own game in the first meeting (and did but it was tight). Kromka won't get the same golden leash in the KCAC that he gets in the Sports Center, but nonetheless they are a very tough opponent.

They can worry about Monday on Sunday.

[Scrub]

IUP’s scariest opponent is IUP. Obviously the favorite doesn’t win every time and we’ve now seen #1 seeds knocked off by #16s in the NCAA Tourney, but I feel pretty strongly we’re watching at least a Final Four team here.

That's well put. And I can't say I disagree with you.

[IUP24]

Diop is one of the big “Joe” mysteries along with keeping starters in late in blowouts. Every time the kid is on the floor he makes things happen. He alters shots and has pretty good hands for a guy of his stature. Maybe he’s not a good practice player. Maybe KJ is a great practice player so he gets more time. Hard to say with not being in the building everyday and also hard to question Joe’s reasoning. It’s just mysterious to those of us on the outside looking in.

I feel like Joe has one big every single year like this. A guy who has great size, appears to be competent enough, etc., but just never sees the floor. It's never a guard. It's always a big guy who could play 8-10 minutes a night, give a couple fouls, and offer some assistance on the journey. We have this same conversation every year with one guy in that position.

Diop is just a nameless gray face. It'll be somebody different next year. And the year after. And the one after that.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Agreed. IUP's more clear and present worry should be a team like Mercyhurst (we've seen that movie before where IUP handled them in the regular season but a badly timed loss in the Regional ended a nice IUP run). It's clear that IUP is making the Regional. So even dropping the remaining regular season match-up with Mercyhurst won't hurt (in fact, as IUP24 might have been implying yesterday, dropping the regular season contest with Hurst might actually help take the pressure of perfection out of the equation). But that's a team that has proven to be dangerous to IUP in Regionals before. Familiarity breeds danger in this case.

And, in truth, WVSU is a team that has the personnel to match up with IUP in a Regional game (if they ever actually play a complete 40-minute game with any sense of focus). So you might have to become fans of Charleston & Concord down the stretch in hopes of WVSU picking up 1-2 more losses that would cripple their chances of even making a Regional.

For what it’s worth, this is a very different team than the one Mercyhurst knocked off in the regional a few years ago. That’s not at all saying it can’t be done, but it’s unlikely. Regarding WVSU, I would see that as an outstanding matchup for IUP. Teams like that don’t respond well to having their preferred style taken away and being held way below their scoring average. Then it comes down to the mental fortitude to deal with it and as you stated, that’s a team prone to losing focus. I don’t think IUP’s in a position to worry at all about what’s going on around them. IUP’s scariest opponent is IUP. Obviously the favorite doesn’t win every time and we’ve now seen #1 seeds knocked off by #16s in the NCAA Tourney, but I feel pretty strongly we’re watching at least a Final Four team here.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Joe said in the paper today they have to get Ousmane Diop 'ready'.


I swear we've been saying that on here since November.

Diop is one of the big “Joe” mysteries along with keeping starters in late in blowouts. Every time the kid is on the floor he makes things happen. He alters shots and has pretty good hands for a guy of his stature. Maybe he’s not a good practice player. Maybe KJ is a great practice player so he gets more time. Hard to say with not being in the building everyday and also hard to question Joe’s reasoning. It’s just mysterious to those of us on the outside looking in.