Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I don't know if you have anybody who gets riled up easily, but watch out for WVWC's "gnat"-type player, Eddie Flohr. He's sometimes been a starting guard and sometimes a 6th man. He's a scrappy player who is probably easy to cheer for if he's your guy. But each time WLU has played him, he ends up getting out of control and fouling some people in egregious ways. WLU is not prone to excitability, so the guy just ends up looking like the fool. But I could easily see how he could induce technicals in less-disciplined teams. He and Dante would likely have been a bad mix last year, for instance. If you have any of those Dante-esque fiery guys this year, keep an eye on that match-up.

I remember him .. he signed with UPJ several years back. He's a local to Western PA. Hot-head types don't last playing for Rukavina at UPJ. He's pretty no-nonsense. That could be why he left.

Thanks for sharing. The KCAC crowd typically tees off on those types.

What's the story on Vicentic? He's a big dude.

[Scrub]

I don't know if you have anybody who gets riled up easily, but watch out for WVWC's "gnat"-type player, Eddie Flohr. He's sometimes been a starting guard and sometimes a 6th man. He's a scrappy player who is probably easy to cheer for if he's your guy. But each time WLU has played him, he ends up getting out of control and fouling some people in egregious ways. WLU is not prone to excitability, so the guy just ends up looking like the fool. But I could easily see how he could induce technicals in less-disciplined teams. He and Dante would likely have been a bad mix last year, for instance. If you have any of those Dante-esque fiery guys this year, keep an eye on that match-up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This opening weekend doesn't have quite the same buzz as last year when Virginia State and the Tommy Bolte Concord Show came to town.

However, neither game will be easy.

West Virginia Wesleyan is led by several seniors -- forward Dusan Vicentic (6'9") and guards Clay Todd and Luka Petrovic (6'6").

* Vicentic is a physical post player who averaged 14 ppg, 5 rpg and had 30 blocks a year ago. He also hit 46 treys. His weakness appears to be staying out of foul trouble. No weight listed but he looks to easily be about 6'9" and a muscular 240 pounds. He's a big boy.
* Todd started 27 games last year and put in 13 ppg with 85 assists and 53 steals.
* Petrovic scored 10 ppg, grabbed 102 boards and had 68 steals.

WVW went 8-15 in the MEC last year and 11-18 overall. Of note, they did have season-opening wins over both West Chester and Kutztown. They were competitive in most games despite the record and also held West Liberty to 80 and 77 points. They had a horrendous last month of the season for whatever reason. They also have a new head coach (Nick Patella) after their previous coach left in August. However, it's a familiar face to the program.

WVW's last trip to the KCAC was about 5-6 years ago. Under the previous regime, they liked to really 'muck' things up and slow it down (PSAC West style). Patella returned as the head coach after being the main man the previous four years at Davis and Elkins. His teams there seemed to play a similar style.



Concord is a little more difficult to scout. Tommy Bolte has graduated. Sharp-shooting guard (and all-world flopper) Jair Rodgers left for Florida Southern.

There are some key returners, however.

* Malik Johnson (6'5" G/F) -- Had a good game at IUP last season and is a tough match-up.
* David Mulumba (6'6" F)
* Trey Brisco (6'4" G)
* Simon Kovac (6'8", 240 lb - F) -- Tough guy to move around under the basket.

They also add back their top recruit of a year ago, 6'5" guard Martin Kelly Jr., who was injured in camp a year ago and missed all of the 2018-19 season. Kelly was a player IUP was allegedly interested in a one point. Guard Kam Harris also transferred in from Notre Dame (OH) as did forward Liam Evans (6'6", 215 lbs) from Saginaw Valley State.

Concord went 20-10 a year ago (14-8 MEC). They are obviously a much different team sans Bolte, but they have some real talent. IUP defeated Concord last year, 83-72, on opening night. Concord likes to play fast and IUP really frustrated them most of the night.


Neither of the games are going to be a pushover. Both teams will challenge a now-thin IUP post.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I told everybody months ago that Joe would never play more than 8 guys! What in the world is he thinking here? This group has the potential to be really, really good. I just don't get it.

Most nights in D2 he won't be nearly as undersized as he was last night. But, yeah, if Benton beat out Ulrich ... he may be one of Joe's biggest flop recruits ever. Let's hope he was just banged up and sat out. Ulrich has been wearing a black shirt in practice which means he's running with the rotation group.

We'll find out real soon.

[IUP24]

I told everybody months ago that Joe would never play more than 8 guys! What in the world is he thinking here? This group has the potential to be really, really good. I just don't get it.

[IUPalum]

This team needs to take some time to jell BUT if Benton is part of the rotation then they are in trouble!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This has shades of 2016 all over it. One injury in the post and we'll be toting out a 6'4" walk-on at forward (with a 6'10" scholarship player redshirting and another 6'8" scholarship player deep in the Joe doghouse).

It sure seems Benton has beat out the (scholarship player) Ulrich. Fantastic. Anthony White must be the best scout team guard in the country.

I will never, ever, ever understand Joe's fascination with redshirting post players. Odds are better than ever he (Diop) won't even be here next year anyway.

Also, being that Chuckie and Demo won't be here next year ... you'd sure think getting Diop work would be beneficial.

Porterfield is going to have to emerge as a Ryan Smith-type freshman under the basket as this sesson progresses.

Lot of work to do before next Friday night.

[Chuck Norris]

From the Gazette:

Diop is going to redshirt. I guess that's why he wasn't available. Wow.

Ulrich wasn't mentioned.

Joe got his yearly shot in on Robert Morris and Duquesne not wanting to play them. Lol.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From the Gazette:

Diop is going to redshirt. I guess that's why he wasn't available. Wow.

Ulrich wasn't mentioned.

Joe got his yearly shot in on Robert Morris and Duquesne not wanting to play them. Lol.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I've been told this morning (fairly reliable source) neither Diop or Ulrich was 'available' last night. Anthony White also didn't play.

No doubt it was there to win. They had the lead and the ball with 31 seconds left and missed the front end of a FT. Elon has some nice players. They have a new coach and opened their new, fancy arena. Their one guard is a grad transfer from Stanford. Elon would be a Top 15 D2 team -- put it that way. This was also Elon's second game. IUP's terrible first half was reflective of a first game.

Without question they lost the game under the basket. Elon has some monsters under there. And, ... Joe was playing a 6'4" walk-on and a true freshmen in long spurts. They were getting hammered under the basket. They struggled just to rebound missed Elon FTs to put it in perspective. You can't beat teams giving up chump rebounds.

They'll take a lot away from that game. It was on the road and against a D1 (albeit lower-end mid-major). This isn't last year's team. Last year's team played its best ball of the whole season from early November to Christmas. This team has work to do -- but may have a higher upside as the season moves along. And, again, without Ulrich or Diop available, they just had no size on the floor. Chucky and Demo played but they aren't bangers -- they are more finesse post players. Hopefully they are both 'available' for next weekend.

All in all, it was a good showing on the road and short-handed. They'll be ready to go next weekend. That's why they play these games. Work out the kinks you can't work out in practice.

[Chuck Norris]

I don't know, they should have won, last year's team wins easily I'll bet. looks like the transfer guards did not shoot well. Maybe it will take awhile for team chemistry to develop. I am also curious as to why the other bigs didn't play.

[ironmaniup]

Not doubt. Great effort. It will help them tremendously.

Alarming neither IUP big played, however.

I don't know, they should have won, last year's team wins easily I'll bet. looks like the transfer guards did not shoot well. Maybe it will take awhile for team chemistry to develop. I am also curious as to why the other bigs didn't play.

[hawks16]

1. Am I naive to think IUP didn't go all the way down to North Carolina to just play one school? Last year, IUP "officially" played Kentucky in an exhibition, but on the way south also played Ashland and Morehead State.

2. In other notable D2 exhibition scores: Pitt beat Slippery Rock tonight 98-47. Northwest Missouri St. gave Duke all it could handle on Saturday night, losing 69-63.

3. I looked at the box score late in the fourth quarter of the live stats and laughed a little bit when I counted only eight guys with minutes for Joe. Some things never change.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'll accept a 79-71 OT loss... Only shooting 34% and being out rebounded by 11 were keys to the loss.

Not doubt. Great effort. It will help them tremendously.

Alarming neither IUP big played, however.

[IUPalum]

I'll accept a 79-71 OT loss... Only shooting 34% and being out rebounded by 11 were keys to the loss.