Iup basketball

[IUP24]

Mentioned the 3 p.m. tips the other day ... appears they haven't worked too well at the gate.

19-20 average attendance - 2,051

21-22 average attendance - 1,108


Now, the asterisk obviously is no fans were allowed for SRU and Cal, which likely cost IUP its two biggest gates of the year. The other traditional big game, Gannon, was played on a Monday and I'm not sure many people even knew there was a game that night.

I don't anticipate much of a crowd for Clarion on Wednesday ... maybe 1,200 or so.

Saturday should break 2,300+ for UPJ.

That's a big number to for a Saturday afternoon against Pitt-Johnstown. I'm hopeful, but I think that's wishful thinking. I want to know the story on the 3 PM start times. Is Indiana that dangerous now that people can't walk to their cars at 9:30?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's a big number to for a Saturday afternoon against Pitt-Johnstown. I'm hopeful, but I think that's wishful thinking. I want to know the story on the 3 PM start times. Is Indiana that dangerous now that people can't walk to their cars at 9:30?

They may. A dreadful freaking Seton Hill drew 1,400.

It was an experiment. They figured students won't come at night or during the day ... but maybe they'd get more families (paying customers) at 3 p.m.

Not to mention the average age in the crowd is about 65 and getting older by the year. Joe still has a younger crowd than Tort ... but, not by much.

Indiana is about as dangerous as a G-Rated movie. Historically the students caused all the trouble here, and, well, there's a hell of a lot less these days. If you avoid lower 7th and the section of Wayne by the McDonald's ... you really wouldn't even know there was still a college here (at night). It's really calm these days. I think they are at or barely at 8,000 and word is a nice chunk of that isn't even on campus (online).

[ironmaniup]

That's a big number to for a Saturday afternoon against Pitt-Johnstown. I'm hopeful, but I think that's wishful thinking. I want to know the story on the 3 PM start times. Is Indiana that dangerous now that people can't walk to their cars at 9:30?

[EyeoftheHawk]

Bob's is walking back in to 1985. But, that's the charm.

It reminds me of watching the small TVs on tables at Capri's up at the mall.

I lost a few quarters in those TVs over the years because it was hard to find one that worked, yet I kept trying. Now that was good pizza and those big red cups filled with the small crushed ice balls for your drink were also iconic.

[EyeoftheHawk]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

No, no, no. Far from meaningless. IUP will get passed in the Regional Rankings today largely because they are stuck in a 3-game stretch of SOS meatballs (Boro, SH, Clarion). A win Saturday is a nice resume boost.

If they want to host the Regional, they have to win Saturday and likely win the PSAC Tournament. And, hope for WL to lose a game in the MEC Tournament.

Also, just a guess, but I don't think IUP has forgot how UPJ acted like they won the D1 national title last month after their 2-point win in Johnstown. They've been waiting for this one. And, nobody wants to see Rukavina jumping up and down and dancing again. Good Lord, UPJ did everything but play One Shining Moment.

Oddly, UPJ is just 5-4 since they basically cut down the nets and bought rings.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Saturday is also a MASSIVE game for UPJ's NCAA hopes.

They have 7 losses and are jumbled up with ESU and Cal. They really need Saturday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here's how the gate has broken down this year (14 homes games entering tonight):

West Virginia Wesleyan	1,342
Concord	1,192
Le Moyne	1,487
Virginia State	812
Millersville	1,127
Shepherd	1,087
Shippensburg	1,608
Pitt-Greensburg	952
Mercyhurst	1,927
Edinboro	1,570
Gannon	1,022
Slippery Rock	0
California	0
Seton Hill	1,387

IUP has played (5) afternoon weekend games with an average gate of: 1,277 (The weekend afternoon games are bolded)

IUP has played (7) night games with fans permitted (various days of the week) with an average gate of: 1,304

The Seton Hill game this past Saturday was actually IUP's first Saturday night home game since Concord in Game 2. IUP blasted the Griffins by 40 in the first meeting so the game likely wasn't too appealing to the average fan. The gate reflected as much.

That gap would have been tremendously higher had the SRU and Cal night games permitted fans.

Some of it is obviously opponent-driven. Mercyhurst drew the largest crowd of the year for a 3 p.m. tip. Granted, at night, that game may have got another 500 or more.

If you take the last 5-7 years as an average, the SRU game, regardless of week night or weekend, typically draws an average of 2,500. The Cal game with no fans was a huge game for the season and would have got at least 1,600 on Wednesday night. I suspect tonight IUP will get about 1,200 for Clarion.

I think there are pros and cons to the afternoon weekend games. I guess we'll wait and see what they do next year.


By and large, however, IUP only drawing about 1,200 per game in a 4,000 seat venue -- down a hair more than 900 from the 2019-20 season. Sure, the averages would have been higher if it wasn't for Driscoll's decision.

[EyeoftheHawk]

No, no, no. Far from meaningless. IUP will get passed in the Regional Rankings today largely because they are stuck in a 3-game stretch of SOS meatballs (Boro, SH, Clarion). A win Saturday is a nice resume boost.

If they want to host the Regional, they have to win Saturday and likely win the PSAC Tournament. And, hope for WL to lose a game in the MEC Tournament.

Also, just a guess, but I don't think IUP has forgot how UPJ acted like they won the D1 national title last month after their 2-point win in Johnstown. They've been waiting for this one. And, nobody wants to see Rukavina jumping up and down and dancing again. Good Lord, UPJ did everything but play One Shining Moment.

Oddly, UPJ is just 5-4 since they basically cut down the nets and bought rings.

[EyeoftheHawk]

By and large, however, IUP only drawing about 1,200 per game in a 4,000 seat venue -- down a hair more than 900 from the 2019-20 season. Sure, the averages would have been higher if it wasn't for Driscoll's decision.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Call that the tune-up. Some nice individual performances. Overall ... it's over with.

On to Saturday and nobody got hurt.

Joe's bench is much deeper now. Got the vibe he was experimenting tonight.


Side note: IUPAlum and I disagree, but if Gerald Jarmon hits the market ... Go get him, Joe.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP went 1-1 at the FT line.

All night.

Trivia:

Find me the last game IUP shot a single FT in a whole game.

[IUPalum]

IUP went 1-1 at the FT line.

All night.

Trivia:

Find me the last game IUP shot a single FT in a whole game.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If IUP plays D like they did tonight on Saturday ... they will be blown out of the KCAC.

The second half may have been their worst defensive performance of the season. U.G.L.Y.

[IUPalum]

If IUP plays D like they did tonight on Saturday ... they will be blown out of the KCAC.

The second half may have been their worst defensive performance of the season. U.G.L.Y.

Yes, their defense wasn't as good the second half but the offense also went into chuck mode/run and gun. The defense will break down more often when the offense does that. Also, Demo is a defensive liability. As good as he was on offense yesterday, he was just the opposite on D.