Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

No score graphic or announcer. Good luck if you didn’t tune in at the very start. Or if you’re bad at math.

Joe looks lost as usual against this system.

[Chuck Norris]

No score graphic or announcer. Good luck if you didn’t tune in at the very start. Or if you’re bad at math.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP can be top level skilled but to win this game you have to have a level of toughness to go with that skill. That's how you take out a bully.

My educated guess is Joe's inbound will be the same - custom-designed to 'get' trapped all day.

His own 1-2-2 press will be ineffective.

Now, they do have a player (redshirted) who has played two years in the trap system. Here's to praying he showed Joe how to better handle it.

His slow approach in the last 7 games (0-7) hasn't worked.

It won't today, either.

The crew is huge. The trapping team loves to grab, hold and hook. If they call all that stuff, IUP has a shot.

[IUPalum]

I'd set the line around Gannon -7.5 in the Men's game.

IUP just struggles in some areas you can't struggle against that system.

Hope I'm wrong but I think that's a pretty accurate betting line.

IUP can be top level skilled but to win this game you have to have a level of toughness to go with that skill. That's how you take out a bully.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP gets bullied once again tomorrow!

The IUP bench hasn't proved they can play against average teams none the less the Big Dawg Gannon.

Ky is a very good PG but his lack of size will hinder him tomorrow just like last year.

How close this game is will depend a lot on the officiating crew. If you get the crews that let the players beat on each other then IUP is screwed. If they get a crew that calls the off ball clutching and grabbing then IUP can compete and maybe steal this game. IUP has talent but over all this team isn't tough! They better toughen up.

I'd set the line around Gannon -7.5 in the Men's game.

IUP just struggles in some areas you can't struggle against that system.

Hope I'm wrong but I think that's a pretty accurate betting line.

[Ship69]

IUP gets bullied once again tomorrow!

The IUP bench hasn't proved they can play against average teams none the less the Big Dawg Gannon.

Ky is a very good PG but his lack of size will hinder him tomorrow just like last year.

How close this game is will depend a lot on the officiating crew. If you get the crews that let the players beat on each other then IUP is screwed. If they get a crew that calls the off ball clutching and grabbing then IUP can compete and maybe steal this game. IUP has talent but over all this team isn't tough! They better toughen up.

If you get the crew Ship had up there, you might be in trouble. I think the Raiders had a total of 8 FT attempts that game.

[IUPalum]

Joe's last trip to Erie he got blown out. IUP was whipped for 40 minutes in the PSAC Tournament's Round 2.

In fact, many say he intentionally had the score run up on him.

IUP is back to near-IUP levels. Joe's team is night and day better than a year ago.

It's probably safe to assume - regardless of the "next game" coach speak propaganda - this date has been circled for a long time.

Make no mistake, Joe's a road dog Saturday. The old 'Mill will be wound up. IUP continues to struggle with normal teams trap pressing them. Can they handle an expert-level press?

If you know that answer, you already know Saturday's outcome.

After that pounding a year ago, Joe said there would be other days ... and it wasn't going to be forgotten.

We'll find out Saturday.

IUP gets bullied once again tomorrow!

The IUP bench hasn't proved they can play against average teams none the less the Big Dawg Gannon.

Ky is a very good PG but his lack of size will hinder him tomorrow just like last year.

How close this game is will depend a lot on the officiating crew. If you get the crews that let the players beat on each other then IUP is screwed. If they get a crew that calls the off ball clutching and grabbing then IUP can compete and maybe steal this game. IUP has talent but over all this team isn't tough! They better toughen up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe's last trip to Erie he got blown out. IUP was whipped for 40 minutes in the PSAC Tournament's Round 2.

In fact, many say he intentionally had the score run up on him.

IUP is back to near-IUP levels. Joe's team is night and day better than a year ago.

It's probably safe to assume - regardless of the "next game" coach speak propaganda - this date has been circled for a long time.

Make no mistake, Joe's a road dog Saturday. The old 'Mill will be wound up. IUP continues to struggle with normal teams trap pressing them. Can they handle an expert-level press?

If you know that answer, you already know Saturday's outcome.

After that pounding a year ago, Joe said there would be other days ... and it wasn't going to be forgotten.

We'll find out Saturday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

So IUP swept out the trash in Butler County..very good.

The first half was a physical free-for-all. The second half they were calling fouls for sneezing. While it was the same crew (obviously) it was as if it was two different sets of officials.

I don't know what happens in that broom closet they call the officials' locker room at half time. But, something does.

It was a similar story to most of the season. IUP stormed out to a 17-point lead. The other team comes roaring back. IUP then pretty much dominated the second half.

Any win in Morrow is a good win.

That's -- for now -- where the good news ends. IUP's trap break is still really struggling. Slippery Rock HC Ian Grady is probably punching himself this morning for not starting to run it until mid-way through the second half. That's just poor scouting in my opinion. The film all season (and the past two years' worth) would all show the same thing: IUP really struggles against a trapping press.

Saturday could be ugly. IUP is 'still' too slow inbounding the ball against the trap (exactly what the trapping teams wants you to be). Joe 'still' brings too few bodies up to help. Unless they have something special planned for Saturday that they haven't shown yet, I don't think they'll handle it well for 40 minutes. IUP's lost (7) straight games against said trap press. I'm not confident the streak will end in Erie.

[IUPNation]

So IUP swept out the trash in Butler County..very good.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I keep hearing about this trip to Gannon.

Well, if history is any indicator, IUP sure better not overlook its trip to Morrow Field House in 48 hours.

Here's a fun fact:

Joe is 18-1 vs Slippery Rock in Indiana.

Care to guess how much that lofty winning percentage dips in Morrow? A whole bunch.

Joe is 10-9 in Slippery Rock.


Even some of his best teams have struggled up there.

One major positive is the students may not be there in two days. Spring semester starts for SRU on Jan 20.

To put that in perspective, SRU draws dismal basketball crowds all year -- with one big exception. IUP has played there numerous times in front of near sellouts. To put it kindly, Joe and his Redshirts don't get a warm reception.

Add to it the annual "coincidental" occurrences ... such as the yearly scoreboard malfunction (always amazingly during an IUP run), the shot clocks that don't start on time, the light-speed substitutions, etc.

If something odd can happen during a game, it happens in Morrow.

The other thing I can promise is Ike Herster will go for about 25-30 points. Joe said last year he's been playing against Ike in the PSAC since the 90s. It has been a long time. Regardless, Ike goes crazy every year against IUP.

When Joe was landing every star out of Erie, he didn't recruit Ike. I think it's safe to say that was taken personally.

This isn't the Joe vs KR days. These games nowadays aren't always a second away from a fist-flying melee. Joe and Ian Grady seem to mostly get along. But, IUP brings the best out of every SRU team - especially up there.

So, here's to hoping IUP isn't already mentally in Erie. If they are, I've got some bad news.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Maceo Austin and Ike Herster both played today for SRU.

Saddle up come Wednesday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

SRU bounced back today and beat UPJ by 14 points.

The Rock's Spring semester starts Jan. 20 so Joe should avoid the normal circus in Morrow in four days.

[EyeoftheHawk]

One thing that will help a bunch is it looks like Bautista is getting a little stronger with each game. In fairness to him, he had some rust to knock off and before this year hadn’t played a college basketball game. If they can get him going that will account for a couple more wins alone. My biggest concern with the bench is the way Herring has been playing. He hasn’t given IUP anything in the last few games other than sloppy play and silly fouls. Sarp is Sarp and is doing the best he can. Fair argument about how many minutes he should or shouldn’t be getting. Triggs should play more in my opinion. Grove’s role has changed so I’m not too worried about his rebound production being down. I’ll take the points he’s providing, although streaky but not atypical of a 3-point shooter.

[IUPalum]

The bench is going to make or break the season. The starting unit is strong enough to keep them in MOST games. Rest assured, another game like West Chester (when Dallis had to sit extended periods due to foul trouble) will come along. Somebody else has to be ready to come in and produce.

Dissecting the bench the past (4) games (ESU, WCU, Millersville, UPJ) gives a good indication. That was a challenging stretch of games against solid competition. Below are the bench averages for the past (4) games:

-

NAME	AVG MPG	POINTS	REBOUNDS	ASSISTS	STEALS	TOs
SARP	11.25	1.5	1.50	0.00	0.00	0.00
TRIGGS	14.25	6.75	2.00	.5	0.00	.5
HERRING	12.00	0.50	2.25	.5	.5	.75
GROVE	14.00	7.75	0.75	0.00	.25	.25

This doesn't even tell the whole story about the bench. How about their defense or lack thereof? Yikes, many times IUP starts to extend their lead then the bench enters and we all know what happens after that.