Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

IUP will play Urbana on Saturday, Nov. 11 as part of the S&T Bank Tip-Off Tournament. UPJ is also attending. I haven't found the fourth team yet.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Okay, the men's 2017-18 schedule is not up yet, while the women's schedule is. Okay, got it. I was wondering what was going on there.

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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I think you're looking at the 2016-17 schedule (last year). IUP hasn't posted the non-conference schedule yet. If you change the drop box at the top you can see the 2017-18 conference schedule (only).

I saw the Urbana game for this coming year on the Urbana web site.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Allen Payne has joined Joe's staff as an assistant. He was a three-year starter at Auburn and was most recently a grad assistant at Xavier.

I hated to see Trey Woodall leave after only one year but I think he has a very bright future in coaching. I know for all the more they can pay assistants in D2 basketball you aren't going to keep them around very long. Fite staying at IUP so long was a pretty rare exception.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fite needs to be the next IUP head coach after Bravado retires. No hurry for that though.

It's amazing that the women's program has kept Mazzante for as long as they have. With her hoops pedigree you'd think that programs would have broken down her door with job offers.

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[Guest]

Re: Iup basketball

Fite needs to be the next IUP head coach after Bravado retires. No hurry for that though.

It's amazing that the women's program has kept Mazzante for as long as they have. With her hoops pedigree you'd think that programs would have broken down her door with job offers.

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Mazzante + Gannon = national championship. i have been saying it for a while. Somebody needs to make this happen. Wake up AD!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I agree with you guys. I think had she been pursuing head jobs she would have had one already (easily). Maybe she'll be the heir apparent when Tom hangs it up. I don't know how old Tom is but I'd have to guess about 60 or so.

ICH: I'd have to agree Fite seems like the logical choice to pursue hard when Joe retires. Then again ... at his age and incredible building job at Ship I could see Fite getting some looks from lower-level D1 programs in the very near future. He's got to strike while the iron is hot. Dustin Sleva's don't grow on trees. In a way I could see Joe riding out Dante's last two years and wrapping it up. I could also see him staying another decade. It's a pretty sweet gig for the D2 level ... probably a Top 5 job when you factor in facilities, program tradition and pay.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Iup basketball

I'd have to assume the remaining non-conference games will be a little lighter in stature. Findlay, Ferris State and Fairmont State ... pretty tall order.

Bowie State, a somewhat regular guest, is already on quite a few other schedules so we may not see them this year.

Bowie released their schedule today. They host IUP on Wednesday, November 22nd in Bowie, MD. That is a little bit of a break for IUP as Bowie won't have students at that time due to Thanksgiving break. I have been over there two of the last three seasons and that is by far the rowdiest student section in D-II that I have seen.

Bowie will come into that game real tested, as will IUP, having played at Duke in an exhibition and then play at Shepherd (a team that returns almost the entire squad from a 19-win team), play Wheeling Jesuit (another Atlantic Region contender), at Bloomfield (a 2017 NCAA squad and 22-game winner), at Alderson Broaddus.....and then host IUP. Coach Brooks never backs down in his non-conference schedule.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

That is a huge break. That place is insane when the students are on campus.

The IUP / Bowie game is almost always a thriller. They will play anybody, anywhere ... lot of respect for the program down there.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fairmont State posted its roster. They signed a freshman center listed at 6'6" and 315 lbs. That's a big dude.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fairmont State posted its roster. They signed a freshman center listed at 6'6" and 315 lbs. That's a big dude.

He might be better suited for the crash and crush of PSAC West play. Seems like down that way it's more about having a fleet of quicker players who can move. It was the IUP men's Catch 22. Do you gear up for the style of play in the PSAC West or do you get ready for what you see from the West Liberty types come regional playoff time? Seems like Joe chose the latter.

I admit that I can't recall much about how FSU played last season. Maybe they are transforming the MEC back to power basketball.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Fairmont got a new coach. Last year they were big and fast ... push, push, push. That guy probably wouldn't have fit in that system.

Joe's roster this upcoming season is a pretty good mix. This is going to be (size-wise) his biggest team in some time. If they want any chance of getting past Sleva ... they had to bring in some athletic big boys.

With Brandwick (6'10") and Keyes (6'9") it should really free up Cobo. Danielak should also benefit and play his more natural position.

You're right, though, the past couple years they definitely went for a smaller lineup. They've added some much-needed size and speed in the post. Brandwick has traditional PSAC center size but is much, much more athletic. He's a physical specimen, can dunk highlight reel style and shoot the three. Keyes will play the role of big shot blocker/defender/rebounder. He had 80 or 90 blocks last year for Harford. He played at UPJ as a true freshman then ended up at Harford. Not sure the whole story but Joe won a recruiting sweepstakes to get him. He had a ton of offers (including lower-end D1). Both have two years' eligibility.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Ship went 3-0 on its Spain tour this past week.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The schedule is out. One noted conflict is the IUP site says the Dec. 19 game against Fairmont is in WV while the Fairmont site says the game is in Indiana.

Regardless:

Non-conference games (in order):

Findlay (@ Evansville)
Ferris State (@ Evansville)
Urbana
Virginia State (22-6 last season)
@ Bowie State
The Sciences
(venue TBA) Fairmont State

As a whole, that has to be one of the tougher IUP non-conference schedules I can recall.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The NCAA posted attendance numbers from this past (2016-17) men's basketball season.

Top Top 5 in D2:

1. Northern State (3,552 avg)
2. Augustana (2,661)
3. Dixie State (2,660)
4. Fort Hays State (2,557)
5. South West Minnesota State (2,033)

15. Virginia Union (1,502)
21. IUP (1,367)

The top D2 conference for men's attendance was the MIAA with an average gate of 1,307. For reference, the No. 10 overall conference averaged 643. Neither the PSAC or MEC was in the Top 10.