Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

We didn't shoot well against you but it's still early. The guys are starting to gel and Coach Hill has been tinkering with his starting 5 and rotations the last few games. We have taken our last two opponents to the woodshed.

I've seen far too many D2 basketball games than I like to admit in public. I have no doubt that WSSU is going to be a strong team as the season progresses.

IUP's trademark is on the defensive end and causes just about everybody to have bad shooting nights. In an offensive era, they still really turn up the heat on defense.

WSSU has a great combination of size and speed ... very athletic. I wouldn't be surprised if they play again in March.

In that game in particular, IUP jumped them in the first half. I think IUP was up either 15 or 17 at halftime. WSSU was a much different team in the second half.

I think you guys will do really well up at the Gannon tournament. And, Good Lord, your team is putting some miles on the bus this year.

[krober34]

They could be real scary if they could actually shoot.

We didn't shoot well against you but it's still early. The guys are starting to gel and Coach Hill has been tinkering with his starting 5 and rotations the last few games. We have taken our last two opponents to the woodshed.

[IUPalum]

Hurst is playing two less games than IUP and their nonconference schedule isn't very tough. We'll see how that plays out a couple months from now.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Opponent watch:

Concord - 2-2
Winston-Salem State - 3-1
Bowie State - 2-3
Walsh - 2-2


I suspect Concord will hover around or slightly above .500 most of the season.

Bowie State has played a really brutal schedule thus far (as always). They should win a lot of games in CIAA play. Winston-Salem will be in the CIAA race all year. Walsh obviously has some injury concerns, so their season is a little harder to project.

The SOS item is going to be pretty big this year. I think you have four front-runners in the Atlantic -- IUP, West Liberty, Fairmont State and East Stroudsburg. And, I don't think any of them will lose very often this year.

We haven't seen enough from Mercyhurst yet. They've somehow only played once, but, on paper, should be pretty strong.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They are nice wins for sure and IUP can’t help that they are just significantly better than these teams. That’s a “problem” they’re likely to have all season long. Obviously they’ll have an off night or an opponent will play a tremendous game, but to me, this team’s’B’ game is good enough to beat anybody in this region most nights. Shawndale is an elite scorer the likes of which we have rarely seen. Then you have 3 other top shelf D2 players who can get 20 points on a given night and a solid group of role players. And everybody has bought in fully to playing suffocating defense. I just don’t see many holes.

The one hole is if Ethan or Tomiwa get in early foul trouble. Luckily, they only need to get through 4 more games until Diop returns.

He's much better than his career stat line suggests. He instantly gives Joe a 6'10" option off the bench. He's a solid rebounder and shot blocker. He's oddly one of the fastest players on the team.

I'd agree, depth-wise. Joe's very deep. I'm still getting used to it. It's actually odd to see him go 9 deep (and soon 10).

I even like his two big forwards on the deep bench. In a pinch they could play some minutes. Big, strong kids.

His big advantage over 95% of teams is Polce and Bethea would start for most of his opponents. He's bringing them off the bench. Add to it Brooks is getting better each time out. Once Brooks is past his first-year jitters, look out.

[Chuck Norris]

They didn’t play well against Concord in the first half and had to overcome a 5-7 point deficit they faced at the half. They blitzed them in the 2nd half, but it’s not as though they ‘haven’t’ been tested.

They certainly aren’t through this gauntlet to open the season, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen. They need to play a full 40 minutes though, because there will be a game where they struggle in the 1st half and they won’t be able to just run a team out of the building.

But these are nice wins. Concord is a good program and will win a lot of MEC games. Bowie is always good, and WSSU probably wins a lot of games this year too. Walsh is a great program as well. We’ll see if Joe can keep this going.

They are nice wins for sure and IUP can’t help that they are just significantly better than these teams. That’s a “problem” they’re likely to have all season long. Obviously they’ll have an off night or an opponent will play a tremendous game, but to me, this team’s’B’ game is good enough to beat anybody in this region most nights. Shawndale is an elite scorer the likes of which we have rarely seen. Then you have 3 other top shelf D2 players who can get 20 points on a given night and a solid group of role players. And everybody has bought in fully to playing suffocating defense. I just don’t see many holes.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They didn’t play well against Concord in the first half and had to overcome a 5-7 point deficit they faced at the half. They blitzed them in the 2nd half, but it’s not as though they ‘haven’t’ been tested.

They certainly aren’t through this gauntlet to open the season, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen. They need to play a full 40 minutes though, because there will be a game where they struggle in the 1st half and they won’t be able to just run a team out of the building.

But these are nice wins. Concord is a good program and will win a lot of MEC games. Bowie is always good, and WSSU probably wins a lot of games this year too. Walsh is a great program as well. We’ll see if Joe can keep this going.

After New Haven they have what should be a lighter stretch for 3 games.

[IUP24]

I didn’t see much of the 2nd half, did anybody clue them in?

It’s too bad Walsh wasn’t full strength, things might have been a little more interesting. It wouldn’t hurt IUP to face some real game pressure in the 2nd half before conference play starts. Maybe New Haven can provide it.

They didn’t play well against Concord in the first half and had to overcome a 5-7 point deficit they faced at the half. They blitzed them in the 2nd half, but it’s not as though they ‘haven’t’ been tested.

They certainly aren’t through this gauntlet to open the season, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen. They need to play a full 40 minutes though, because there will be a game where they struggle in the 1st half and they won’t be able to just run a team out of the building.

But these are nice wins. Concord is a good program and will win a lot of MEC games. Bowie is always good, and WSSU probably wins a lot of games this year too. Walsh is a great program as well. We’ll see if Joe can keep this going.

[Chuck Norris]

Best part was when IUP was really laying it on in first half their announcer said "they are really good I wonder if they are ranked?"

#captain-smith

I didn’t see much of the 2nd half, did anybody clue them in?

It’s too bad Walsh wasn’t full strength, things might have been a little more interesting. It wouldn’t hurt IUP to face some real game pressure in the 2nd half before conference play starts. Maybe New Haven can provide it.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They kicked Joe's game back this Saturday to 4:30 p.m. so it will be after the football playoff game.

New Haven will be a good game. They have a big 7'1" center who is very active. He was the NE-10 Defensive POY last year.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Best part was when IUP was really laying it on in first half their announcer said "they are really good I wonder if they are ranked?"

#captain-smith

What the?! I caught a little of the game between trying to watch all of the football regional playoff games. It seems once IUP figures out they’re just way better than who they’re playing, they start getting sloppy. Of course, the game was never in doubt so does it matter if they can turn it off and on?

IUP is good. This was no contest. I wonder if IUP will crack the Top 25 this week? :)

[IUPalum]

Best part was when IUP was really laying it on in first half their announcer said "they are really good I wonder if they are ranked?"

#captain-smith

Truth!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Best part was when IUP was really laying it on in first half their announcer said "they are really good I wonder if they are ranked?"

#captain-smith

[IUPbigINDIANS]

God that feed sucks! Eventually they'll have to play a full 40 minutes. The second half was a crap show.

It looked like they got bored after halftime.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

God that feed sucks! Eventually they'll have to play a full 40 minutes. The second half was a crap show.

Stretch is terrible. Worst streaming in D2.