Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Mercyhurst is always a meat grinder.Playing against the rarely seen match up zone/triangle and 2 will always make Mercyhurst a tough game. You can come up with a game plan against it but you can never simulate it they way they run it.

Six losses to Gannon: without researching I'd be willing to bet a couple were against the Goldcamp team when Joe first arrived. A couple against those Blazek teams and the one debacle a couple years back at Gannon.

Other than those two schools, complete dominance! I thought Cal was starting to develop then more kids leave after last year. Not sure what the deal is there.

The Gannon losses almost all came in the first half of the decade. Since GU beat IUP in the PSAC title game in 14-15, IUP is 9-1 vs. Gannon. The lone loss was in 17-18 when Malik was out. Recall in the 13-14 and 14-15 seasons, Joe made the transition to build more of a mixed PSAC and MEC roster. Those first couple editions of the more 'fast' IUP teams struggled against the brutality of those JR teams.

IUP went 20-4 vs. Slippery Rock in the decade (including PSAC Tournament and NCAA games). All four losses came in Morrow. Slippery Rock last won a basketball game at IUP in 1990-91. SRU's last two visits to the KCAC easily could have both ended with Joe hanging a 50 burger. He called off the dogs in both and won in the 30s.

Looking back at the IUP vs Mercyhurst series, a few things stand out. When IUP wins, it wins fairly big (usually low double digits). When IUP loses, it's almost always by just a couple points. It's really how you start against the Lakers. If you come out cold and get in a hole ... you're done. They are extremely difficult to come back against. In return, Mercyhurst isn't built to stage big comebacks with its slow-down offense. I think where they get in peoples heads is you know going in you aren't going to score a lot. You come out and miss shots and that rim shrinks ... it's a big mental block to overcome.

In the 18-19 season they split in the regular season. IUP won comfortably in Erie and then Mercyhurst exploited that blown press for a walk-off trey in the KCAC. In the postseason, IUP blew them out in the PSAC Championship game. A week later IUP started cold and just couldn't come out of it.

Last year IUP blew them out inside the KCAC and then Mercyhurst won in Erie (sans Chucky). The one thing I've learned over the years with watching Mercyhurst is they aren't going to be strong every year. That system takes some build-up to really click. This year's team could be really dangerous as so many returned. When they have system guys and that defense becomes second nature, they are extremely difficult to play.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here's to total IUP sports boredom this winter ... lol.

Who wins? And, in honor of Joe, each team will only have 8 players in the rotation (the rest will likely be redshirts).


Team 1

(G) Ashton Smith
(G) Julian Sanders
(G) Mathis Keita
(G) Anthony Glover
(G) DeVante Chance
(F) Daddy Ugbede
(F) Marcel Souberbielle
(F) Cobo Diaz

Bench
(G) Shawndale Jones
(G) Anthony Wells
(G) David Morris
(F) Dan Ayebo
(F) Devon Cottrell
(F) Chris Edwards
(F) Tevin Hanner


Team 2

(G) Malik Miller
(G) Armoni Foster
(G) Brandon Norfleet
(G) Shawn Dyer
(G) Dante Lombardi
(F) Darryl Webb
(F) Jeremy Jeffers
(F) Tommy Demogerontas

Bench
(G) Brandon Spain
(G) Scooter Renkin
(G) Kevin Stewart
(F) Ethan Porterfield
(F) Chucky Humphries
(F) Willem Brandwijk
(F) Josh Wiegand




All in their primes ... that would be a heck of a game to watch. The winner gets the Gary Edwards All-Stars inside the Memorial Field House.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

J-Lo sings Dream On on Rockin' Eve. Obviously the IUP last song before tip in the KCAC. Perfect, ironic, end to 2020.

[IUP24]

Somebody needs to explain to me how the PAC with all those D3 schools is playing basketball, but the PSAC isn't...

[IUP24]

Some 'decade in review' numbers for Redshirt Joe's program:

2010-11 to 2019-20

Overall Record: 259-55
Home: 151-19
Away: 95-29
Neutral: 10-7

Decade record versus PSAC teams:

Pitt-Johnstown	16-1
California	21-2
Gannon	15-6
Mercyhurst	15-10
Seton Hill	16-1
Edinboro	20-2
Slippery Rock	20-4
Clarion	19-1
Bloomsburg	7-1
West Chester	8-4
East Stroudsburg	9-2
Shippensburg	6-3
Lock Haven	8-0
Mansfield	7-1
Kutztown	6-1
Shepherd	1-0
Cheyney	4-1
Millersville	6-0

Up for debate items:

Best team of decade: 2014-15 (31-7 & National Finalist), 2018-19 (30-3 & PSAC Title), 2019-20 (28-2 & PSAC Title / Covid season)

Least-productive team of decade: Either 2015-16 (21-8) or 2017-18 (22-8)

- The 2015-16 team saw Cobo and Dante play very heavy minutes as true freshmen -- also the team that lost at Seton Hill in the finale. This was the 'island of misfit toys' team.
- The 2017-18 team was the most disappointing in my opinion. That team was just snake-bitten at every turn. Malik missed a month. Cobo was hurt the first month. The debacle at Seton Hill with Glover's suspension and Dante's broken wrist. Keyes redshirted.

Player of the Decade: When you add it all up, it would be hard to not say Jacobo Diaz. Total body of work over four years ... not sure anybody else in his category. Webb only played one season in this decade.

Best single season: Tough one. Perhaps Brandon Norfleet (2015-16), Anthony Glover (2016-17), Devante Chance (2014-15), Cobo (2018-19), Malik (2019-20), Darryl Webb (2010-11).

The 'what could have been' team: 2013-14 ... lost in Triple OT to WL in the NCAAs Round 2. Led by Mathis Keita and Marcel Souberbielle. This was a very under-the-radar team when you look back on Joe's best teams. Make a foul shot in the final minute and the game was over.

Best home games (atmosphere): 2013-14 win against Slippery Rock (66-64) at KCAC (my opinion the loudest game ever at KCAC ... this was the infamous Kevin Reynolds technical late in the second half when the crowd finally drove him nuts) ... the infamous Silent Night debacle with nearly 4,000 in attendance ... 2018-19 win against Ship in the Field House felt like the 90s all over again ... 2012-13 PSAC Final win over Slippery Rock at KCAC (only had about 2,500 but it was rocking).

Best Road wins: Regional final at WL (The Norfleet Three), Tarleton State (Final Four), Shippensburg (19-20 PSAC Final), 2018-19 at Fairmont State (as dominant a showing as any Joe team has put on against a good team)

Oddest item: 2018-19 -- IUP dominated Mercyhurst in the PSAC Championship. A week later it was the total opposite. Mercyhurst went on to win the Regional two nights later and then put a major scare in to eventual national champion NWMS. That Sunday loss still hurts. Oddly, when you ask anybody there, they knew it within the first 3 minutes of the game.

Rivalry: The first part of the decade it was probably Gannon. The later half was certainly Mercyhurst. I know most say Slippery Rock, but, the record certainly doesn't reflect it. BUT, no team packs the KCAC better than SRU, so, who knows.


The 'What the F' moment of the decade: Bowie State came in to the KCAC in 2015-16 and won. IUP dominated the first half and was up as many as 24 points. The final 20 minutes Bowie State turned in to an NBA team, and eventually snuck out with 3-point win. Very rare Saturday night home loss for IUP. The Hawks were horrendous at the FT line in the final 10 minutes -- ultimately costing them the game.

Most painful loss: 2014-15 PSAC Final at the Hammermill. Thrilling game ... ended on a walk-off from well beyond NBA range. Gannon then lost a week later in Round 1 to Slippery Rock (after going 3-0 against SRU during the season). IUP went on to make the National Final. In many ways, that win in the PSAC was the start of a very downhill stretch for the GU program.

The mark of a good program is that you remember the losses. Mostly because there are so few and the ones that you do lose really stand out. I can vividly remember almost every one of those losses you mentioned.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Minor detail ... but nothing else to talk about ...

I saw on the Twitter Hawk Profile of Dylan Benton ... called him 'former walk-on'. Looks like Joe is kicking him some bones. He's earned it. Every team needs a Dylan Benton. At his size (6'5") they can plug him in to most positions on a whim.

I know Anthony White was taking this season off (had there been one). I'd love to see him rejoin the program next year.

[IUPalum]

Minor detail ... but nothing else to talk about ...

I saw on the Twitter Hawk Profile of Dylan Benton ... called him 'former walk-on'. Looks like Joe is kicking him some bones. He's earned it. Every team needs a Dylan Benton. At his size (6'5") they can plug him in to most positions on a whim.

I know Anthony White was taking this season off (had there been one). I'd love to see him rejoin the program next year.

Nothing wrong with that. The kid earned it!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IHS boys lost at Tyrone, 82-12.

Not a typo.

[IUPalum]

IHS boys lost at Tyrone, 82-12.

Not a typo.

They missing players or just that bad?

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

IHS boys lost at Tyrone, 82-12.

Not a typo.

Even the wimpy Heritage Conference wouldn't want them.

Hard to believe this is the same program that was once rather mighty not all that long ago.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They missing players or just that bad?

From what I know they had some players not come out this year and the 'varsity' is essentially a JV team.

IHS, like most schools, goes through cycles and they are in a real bad one right now.

Allegedly the next wave is in junior high right now. We'll see.

They had quite a run there for several years. At the tail end they had Carlos Carter, who now starts at Shippensburg.

I'd still love to know how he didn't land at IUP. Recall Sancomb signed him to Wheeling and when he got canned Fite grabbed him. Joe never offered either time.

I know they didn't have a lot of room at guard but he was quite a special athlete to let leave town. He'd fit perfect in Joe's system (and Tort's).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Even the wimpy Heritage Conference wouldn't want them.

Hard to believe this is the same program that was once rather mighty not all that long ago.

Well, ... things got worse last night. Indiana got stomped in wrestling by Marion Center.

The old Heritage Conference is taking it to mighty IHS at every turn this year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP has offered a PG from Chicago.

Looks like a high-profile bidding war -- IUP, Valdosta State, Azusa Pacific (among others).

Likely to be a one-man recruiting class.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Tommy Demogerontas is confirmed staying for next season. That is fantastic news.

That will likely give Joe a starting five next year of Armoni, Demo, Porterfield, Shawndale and Morris.

Sulaiman and Diop will be the post subs. Radford and Rhodes will sub for guards. Benton will be the utility.

Polce, Cordon and Burk will likely redshirt.


I know they have one offer on the table (PG from Chicago) but it could be a one-man class. They were looking at a grad transfer but I haven't heard anything official.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Tommy Demogerontas is confirmed staying for next season. That is fantastic news.

That will likely give Joe a starting five next year of Armoni, Demo, Porterfield, Shawndale and Morris.

Sulaiman and Diop will be the post subs. Radford and Rhodes will sub for guards. Benton will be the utility.

Polce, Cordon and Burk will likely redshirt.


I know they have one offer on the table (PG from Chicago) but it could be a one-man class. They were looking at a grad transfer but I haven't heard anything official.

You might be getting some Pitt transfers as well. If Redshirt Joe takes on Big John Hugley after his prison term he might want to be sure to lock up his car at all times and install the club.