Iup basketball

[IUP24]

It's a testament to IUP's defensive play and determination that they've gotten to this point with one loss. I have been surprised at the trouble they've had with the three-ball this season. They'll probably need more of those to drop in the regional. Porterfield was huge for them, but they'll need to continue to control tempo as they have been. I don't think an uptempo game would do his legs much good.

If IUP thinks they are going anywhere, they need to shoot it better from the outside. Bottom line.

[IUP24]

I'd agree their deep shooting isn't cut and dry. My theory for weeks (perhaps now months) has been they need to do a better job simply adjusting the 'who' part of the equation.

Shawndale, for instance, is hitting just over 28 percent on the season (and hasn't made one the past three games). However, he's taken the second most attempts on the team (42 for 148). His magic happens inside the arc -- not so much outside it (at least not this year).

Dave Morris has hit 85 for 242 (35%). He's had some funks but all great shooters do.

Ethan Porterfield is actually hitting at just under 39% but has been limited to 109 attempts (42 for 109). He's just now getting healthy.

Here's where things get a little frustrating:

Dallis Dillard can really shoot the deep ball -- but gets very few attempts. He's hit 25 of 72 on the season (35%).

Jaylen Stewart is said to be the best shooter on the team -- yet has hit 11 of 27 attempts (all year). That's over 40 percent.

Tomiwa is also over 30% from outside but only gets the the rare kick-out (43 attempts and the majority of those came in NOV-DEC).

Kyle Polce can also really shoot well from outside, but has just 37 attempts.


If you want to see the magic happen (my opinion) keep Shawndale driving (he draws a ton of attention) and 6-7 times a game start kicking it out to what will likely be wide open shooters (essentially what Mercyhurst does so well).

I really think they left a lot on the table by limiting Dillard's shot attempts from outside. He can be a legit sharp-shooter -- especially with the other four drawing so much attention.

Like I said, I've lost track of what their actual 'offense' is at this point. This past weekend is was mostly drive the hole and see what happens. They are obviously making it work, but it's different than anything we've seen in the past. Cal Rounds 2 & 3 were their best 'team' offensive performances of the season in my view.

Also the theory they don't have to chuck up 23 a game from outside. Run actual offense for Tomiwa. Odds are great he's either scoring or drawing a foul every time he gets the ball.

I've considered if this team should have adopted the style that Joe utilized during their run in 2015. Run a lot of sets in the half-court. If the shot was there in the first 5-7 seconds of a possession, take it. If not, slow it down and run your offense with 10-12 on the shot clock. That formula worked so well with that team. I'm not a huge fan of that deliberate style of basketball, but whatever it takes this time of year I guess. That exact formula was how and why they beat that West Liberty team.

I think that team was also constructed similar to this one. I think this team has better talent, but position by position, I think it's similar. Devante Chance and Shawn Dyer were both great at the drive and kick game. And Chance was so good at running sets from the PG position. They could utilize Morris and Jones in the same manner. And to your point, run more for Tomiwa. Teams had difficulty stopping Devon Cottrell when they ran things through him. Driz was a little thicker than Tomiwa, but by far a better athlete. And they kicked out to Jeffers for 3 point shots as well with drive and kick sets. Porterfield is even better at that game than Jeffers. Different team, but the makeup was similar. I think that model could be there for Joe if he wanted to use it.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Recruiting never sleeps -- whether you're in the Regional or not.

I'd have to think Tabe (Seton Hill) and Korte (Wheeling) would be very attractive to IUP.

Tabe is a little different style guard than Joe typically recruits (i.e. he doesn't shoot the trey well) but he does everything else. He's so big and physical he could easily play in the post on occasion, too. He's phenomenal taking the ball to the hole. Nobody wants to get in front of him. Put him in a lineup with IUP-level talent ... Oh boy. Never know. Joe took Jaylen Stewart from Seton Hill last year.

If Ethan and Tomiwa stay, Korte wouldn't have much interest in coming here. If one of them leaves, well, he may be the most attractive forward on the D2 market.

Both will be one-year guys (I'm pretty sure). I know Joe doesn't take may one-year transfers. But, there have been a few over the years.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Hawk Talk live from the Hilton tonight.

6pm

[IUPalum]

Hawk Talk live from the Hilton tonight.

6pm

Joe going to open up a bit?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe going to open up a bit?

No. First show of the year. He's been saving up cliches all season lol.

Nobody in the profession is better at avoiding a question with a 4-minute, off-topic answer than Joe Lombardi. He makes it sound great. Then you realize that it had nothing to do with the question lol.

[Ship69]

No. First show of the year. He's been saving up cliches all season lol.

Nobody in the profession is better at avoiding a question with a 4-minute, off-topic answer than Joe Lombardi. He makes it sound great. Then you realize that it had nothing to do with the question lol.

Quite a few coaches have become masters of using a lot of words to say nothing. Sports reporters get criticized, sometimes fairly, for asking dumb questions, but interviewing coaches over a number of years can be extremely frustrating. On the few occasions I was in a D1 pressroom, the multimillionaire coaches were great at treating the press as a lower form of life, especially if you worked for a small print publication. Coaches at the D2 and D3 level aren't as full of themselves and usually are more fun to talk with. Jim Phelan at Mount St. Mary's was one of my favorite guys I interviewed.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Quite a few coaches have become masters of using a lot of words to say nothing. Sports reporters get criticized, sometimes fairly, for asking dumb questions, but interviewing coaches over a number of years can be extremely frustrating. On the few occasions I was in a D1 pressroom, the multimillionaire coaches were great at treating the press as a lower form of life, especially if you worked for a small print publication. Coaches at the D2 and D3 level aren't as full of themselves and usually are more fun to talk with. Jim Phelan at Mount St. Mary's was one of my favorite guys I interviewed.

Joe will talk with the best of them. You just aren't getting the answer to your question. Every once in a while Jack will bait him and he slips.

The Amir Hinton transfer was the best example.

The biggest jerk of them all (to the media) 'retired' yesterday up at Syracuse.

[IUPalum]

Joe will talk with the best of them. You just aren't getting the answer to your question. Every once in a while Jack will bait him and he slips.

The Amir Hinton transfer was the best example.

The biggest jerk of them all (to the media) 'retired' yesterday up at Syracuse.

Retired is a nice way of putting it.

[Bart]

Retired is a nice way of putting it.

It does sound like he wanted to come back for his final contract year, but they fired him.

[Ship69]

It does sound like he wanted to come back for his final contract year, but they fired him.

He basically said he was leaving it up to the school, and the AD said thanks, we're moving on.

[IUPalum]

He basically said he was leaving it up to the school, and the AD said thanks, we're moving on.

AKA, you’re fired

[IUPNation]

He basically said he was leaving it up to the school, and the AD said thanks, we're moving on.

Some coaches don't know when it is time to go and all they do is drag down a program. See Paterno, Joe.

[EyeoftheHawk]

AKA, you’re fired

Way overdue. These guys stay around (are allowed to stay around) way too long and then the exit is ugly. Was never a fan of Boeheim as it is and the way he’s behaved over this hasn’t changed my opinion.

[Ship69]

Way overdue. These guys stay around (are allowed to stay around) way too long and then the exit is ugly. Was never a fan of Boeheim as it is and the way he’s behaved over this hasn’t changed my opinion.

You can get away with having a big mouth and being persnickety if you're winning as he was for much of his career — not so much when the winning stops.