Iup basketball

[IUPHawks24]

I'm also questioning why did Shawndale keep going to the well inside? You knew Gary had GQ and mini-me in his back pocket. The fact that Hurst had 3 fouls in the first half is atrocious.

I thought Shawndale was forcing it. The contact is a little harder to tell on the stream versus being at the game, but it seemed like he kept driving gaps that weren’t there. And then the Mercyhurst center played the game of his life.

Ironically, the game turned when IUP was gifted that basket that should’ve been a shot clock violation. After that, the crowd got into it and everything went wrong.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUPAlum - I can't say much about that ... the broadcast was pretty rough. Not seeing it live I feel like I only saw half the game. They have a shaky camera operator and change angles constantly and show 4,000 replays. They also love to zoom in on the ball so you don't see the whole floor. Good announcers but the actual video is pretty bad.

End of the day that was their magic moment. It looked like a great crowd. Obviously winning in the KCAC is whole different animal sans five days of prep. They were ready to play and took it.

IUP couldn't stop shooting itself in the foot. It's not like Mercyhurst lit it up on offense. Both teams shot horribly. As bad as IUP played, if they just make some foul shots and hit a couple layups that would have been pretty tight at the end.

I thought when they were only down two at the half and were going to shoot to the empty end it would propel them but it didn't.

Some of Shawndale's drives ... like I said I couldn't really see that well on the video. Several looked pretty out of control.

They didn't call a lot of fouls on either team in the first half. Then it flipped and they were going ticky tack in the second half.

Well, the next time they could possibly play would likely be on neutral floor. But, remember, UPJ has the early H2H on Mercyhurst. So, it's possible UPJ gets the two seed. But, they still have to play up in Erie.

If Joe gets past tomorrow night they should have fairly smooth sailing the rest of the way. SRU and Cal can be tricky. Tomorrow is a big one.

Remaining schedule:

UPJ
at Clarion
Edinboro
Slippery Rock
at California

[Chuck Norris]

not being a doctor and not having access to his medical records you really don’t know if it “could go” at any moment, or even about his recovery. All we know is he has a stress fracture on his lower body and he doesn’t look 100%. Leg foot knee toe ? Makes a big difference

Tony C’s article from last week calls it “bone weakness” that’s been a side affect of the tumor removal and Ethan in one quote does say it’s his foot. Everything in that article certainly suggests he’s gutting out the games and giving everything he can with essentially no practice time. Him being anywhere near 100% this season seems unlikely, again according to that article which has been by far the most any of us not on the inside have had to go by concerning Ethan’s health.

It definitely makes last night hard to figure. Was something wrong with Damir? Obviously the slow pace Mercyhurst plays at would seemingly help Ethan stay out there, but 32 minutes when there are capable players on the bench doesn’t make much sense.

[IUPalum]

I'm also questioning why did Shawndale keep going to the well inside? You knew Gary had GQ and mini-me in his back pocket. The fact that Hurst had 3 fouls in the first half is atrocious.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'm not so certain the stress fracture is what we are worried about here.

I can promise you one thing: If he plays the same lineups again tomorrow that he did last night, they'll lose to Pitt-Johnstown tomorrow. And, all the sudden, this cushy lead is long gone.

UPJ is tough and Joe will try to again beat them at their own slow-down game.

Kromka gets every foul call known to man so it's not as easy as just putting Tomiwa on him.

I actually think they are a home dog tomorrow night for the first time in 8 years. This Ethan item is a major problem because they sure don't seem to have a Plan B in place. If we saw Plan B last night this season is screwed. Plan C was actually the good option but its members sat on the bench all night.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

not being a doctor and not having access to his medical records you really don’t know if it “could go” at any moment, or even about his recovery. All we know is he has a stress fracture on his lower body and he doesn’t look 100%. Leg foot knee toe ? Makes a big difference

Foot is the rumor.

[ironmaniup]

I'm not a doctor, . . .
The scary thing is that the injury he has can just "go" at any moment. If you all remember Kevin Ware (the Louisville player who's leg snapped in half in the Elite Eight game a couple years ago), this is exactly the same injury that Porterfield has. Ware had a stress fracture he continued to play through..

not being a doctor and not having access to his medical records you really don’t know if it “could go” at any moment, or even about his recovery. All we know is he has a stress fracture on his lower body and he doesn’t look 100%. Leg foot knee toe ? Makes a big difference

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'm not a doctor, but I have bad news for anyone thinking, hoping, or believing that Porterfield can get better or healthier this season. Where specifically is the stress fracture? Stress fractures are extremely common injuries in basketball players and runners. I had one in 2014. It was a nagging injury. Pain was not too unbearable, but it didn't ever heal until I stopped running - for about six months.

A stress fracture has an extremely long recovery period, despite being an injury that is not necessarily deemed as "too serious" or "too painful." You legitimately have a broken bone. And the more you provide impact on the affected area, the more pain you feel. So Ethan isn't getting any better at all this season. He's only going to get worse. There's no "hold him out for a couple games and he'll be okay." He needs months of non-weight bearing and then walking around in a boot likely.

The scary thing is that the injury he has can just "go" at any moment. If you all remember Kevin Ware (the Louisville player who's leg snapped in half in the Elite Eight game a couple years ago), this is exactly the same injury that Porterfield has. Ware had a stress fracture he continued to play through.

Edit... If you all remember Willem Brandwjick... Ethan is the more superiorly talented version of him (and wayyyy more superiorly talented). Just was always something with Willem. He was always either injured, ill, homesick, etc. Always something with him. Ethan's a FANTASTIC player. But he's had a real run of bad luck as it pertains to his health and availability that is extremely similar.

They'll be fine. Joe will start KJ at center and play the two starting power forwards from the intramural champions. Both are 5'9" but have high motors.

[IUPalum]

I'm not a doctor, but I have bad news for anyone thinking, hoping, or believing that Porterfield can get better or healthier this season. Where specifically is the stress fracture? Stress fractures are extremely common injuries in basketball players and runners. I had one in 2014. It was a nagging injury. Pain was not too unbearable, but it didn't ever heal until I stopped running - for about six months.

A stress fracture has an extremely long recovery period, despite being an injury that is not necessarily deemed as "too serious" or "too painful." You legitimately have a broken bone. And the more you provide impact on the affected area, the more pain you feel. So Ethan isn't getting any better at all this season. He's only going to get worse. There's no "hold him out for a couple games and he'll be okay." He needs months of non-weight bearing and then walking around in a boot likely.

The scary thing is that the injury he has can just "go" at any moment. If you all remember Kevin Ware (the Louisville player who's leg snapped in half in the Elite Eight game a couple years ago), this is exactly the same injury that Porterfield has. Ware had a stress fracture he continued to play through.

Edit... If you all remember Willem Brandwjick... Ethan is the more superiorly talented version of him (and wayyyy more superiorly talented). Just was always something with Willem. He was always either injured, ill, homesick, etc. Always something with him. Ethan's a FANTASTIC player. But he's had a real run of bad luck as it pertains to his health and availability that is extremely similar.

I'm not so certain the stress fracture is what we are worried about here.

[IUP24]

1) I won't comment on GQ and his mini me.
2) Only explanation for KJ playing so much is that Joe wanted to lose that game to get his troops refocused. That is the only explanation. Every Hurst run involved KJ on the floor. Losing to Hurst today doesn't hurt the team in any way.
3) They have to get Ethan healthier than he is. He's only like 60% of himself.
4) I've been saying for weeks that they need to start shooting better. It was worse today. Can't remember the last Joe team to be below 30%
5) The team let their frustrations show late in the game. Have to stay focused.

I'm not a doctor, but I have bad news for anyone thinking, hoping, or believing that Porterfield can get better or healthier this season. Where specifically is the stress fracture? Stress fractures are extremely common injuries in basketball players and runners. I had one in 2014. It was a nagging injury. Pain was not too unbearable, but it didn't ever heal until I stopped running - for about six months.

A stress fracture has an extremely long recovery period, despite being an injury that is not necessarily deemed as "too serious" or "too painful." You legitimately have a broken bone. And the more you provide impact on the affected area, the more pain you feel. So Ethan isn't getting any better at all this season. He's only going to get worse. There's no "hold him out for a couple games and he'll be okay." He needs months of non-weight bearing and then walking around in a boot likely.

The scary thing is that the injury he has can just "go" at any moment. If you all remember Kevin Ware (the Louisville player who's leg snapped in half in the Elite Eight game a couple years ago), this is exactly the same injury that Porterfield has. Ware had a stress fracture he continued to play through.

Edit... If you all remember Willem Brandwjick... Ethan is the more superiorly talented version of him (and wayyyy more superiorly talented). Just was always something with Willem. He was always either injured, ill, homesick, etc. Always something with him. Ethan's a FANTASTIC player. But he's had a real run of bad luck as it pertains to his health and availability that is extremely similar.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Hardly anyone will remember an early February loss at Mercyhurst when the NCAA Tournament starts. Losses are also always dissected more than wins, especially after being undefeated for so long. I’m not one that believes in “good losses,” but it is at least a reminder to the team of what can happen if they don’t bring it every single game. To feel the sting of a loss as a player when you haven’t felt it in a while can be therapeutic in a way.

This was the one game left on IUP’s schedule I felt they had a chance to lose. Everything set up for Hurst, especially the five day layoff. That can’t be underestimated. If these teams played 10 times, IUP would win seven or maybe even eight of them. It’s likely they’ll meet again, but it won’t be up there and there won’t be five day layoffs. IUP will be the #1 seed in the PSAC and Regionals, and everything will be fine. If you count up the teams that went undefeated from wire to wire at any level of college basketball, it’s a pretty short list.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

1) I won't comment on GQ and his mini me.
2) Only explanation for KJ playing so much is that Joe wanted to lose that game to get his troops refocused. That is the only explanation. Every Hurst run involved KJ on the floor. Losing to Hurst today doesn't hurt the team in any way.
3) They have to get Ethan healthier than he is. He's only like 60% of himself.
4) I've been saying for weeks that they need to start shooting better. It was worse today. Can't remember the last Joe team to be below 30%
5) The team let their frustrations show late in the game. Have to stay focused.

No. No. No.

Joe only played Police 2 minutes and Brooks 4 minutes so he could have them fresh for Clarion this Saturday.

Six combined minutes for two of the best athletes on the team.

So, either they are in the dog house, or Joe really was saving them for Clarion. They both should be highly upset.

There is not another possible explanation. None.

Gary smashed him tonight.

[IUPalum]

1) I won't comment on GQ and his mini me.
2) Only explanation for KJ playing so much is that Joe wanted to lose that game to get his troops refocused. That is the only explanation. Every Hurst run involved KJ on the floor. Losing to Hurst today doesn't hurt the team in any way.
3) They have to get Ethan healthier than he is. He's only like 60% of himself.
4) I've been saying for weeks that they need to start shooting better. It was worse today. Can't remember the last Joe team to be below 30%
5) The team let their frustrations show late in the game. Have to stay focused.

[IUP24]

Tomiwa goes to the line with a chance to tie it, misses both. Hurst hits a 3. KJ misses the layup, Hurst converts off an offensive rebound. Dagger sequence. In that, gym against that team a seven point deficit with that much time left is pretty much ballgame.

Disappointing, but we all figured they’d probably lose one and this was the likely spot.

I remember thinking even before that sequence unfolded how important those two free throws were.

I struggle to say I “wanted” them to lose, but I’m always in favor of a humbling experience. When the loss came, I didn’t want it to be a heartbreaker. They were not the better team tonight. Losing gives them a good excuse to “go back to the lab,” refocus, and lock in for a stretch run. Losing the way they did shows them they actually can lose and are imperfect much like everyone else. That’s a good thing for them to know and understand.

Now they can play to win with their goals in front of them, rather than worrying about simply not losing.

[IUP24]

**** Mercyhurst.

Good program with a good coach. Nothing ever fluky about them. Deserving winners tonight.