Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I don't love the role they are asking Danielak to play. He's splitting time with Cottrell (think Daddy / Cottrell). He's certainly not a prototype big man. In fact, his game is much more Jeremy Jeffers than Daddy Ugbede. He's a shooter but by default has to spend a lot of time banging underneath. The positive is his style will be a big asset against (most) non-PSAC West teams. But until then, it's tough to ask him to essentially play a hybrid center/forward against some really high-end PSAC low-post players. He's a hustler and isn't complaining. This team would benefit having another true post player off the bench but that's a broken record at this point.

These last several games have been very physical, ... typical, somewhat low-scoring West games. Gannon, Rock and Edinboro were much bigger, more physical teams. IUP is built to play up-tempo with Cottrell being the holdover to the older years (thank goodness he's here). But, you take the Gannon game and IUP crushed them on the boards. It may not happen the next time. Evan Phoenix was a complete non-factor in Round One due to foul trouble.

They are close. They will be undersized underneath the rest of the regular season but that's been apparent. The single biggest issue is the turnovers (and recently the free throw shooting). This inability to play in the first half is strange. Joe had some interesting comments on the matter in the last IG article. The Edinboro game they started something like 12-2 but then gave up a 30-6 run and were down 10 at halftime. The Boro zone really gave them some fits.

If they can even cut these turnovers by 25 percent and just get better on put-backs these close games will go away. Hutton has been a nice spark, at times, lately. He's shooting much better.

There's something to this group. They are very hard to put away and are certainly a second-half team. The problem Joe eluded to, though, is it seems to take them getting hit with 5 hay-makers before they start to get fired up. That's a mental thing ... hopefully Dr. Bravado can fix that part.

[IUP24]

This is almost getting to be right around the time when they started to catch some fire during that 2015 season. It was a 4 game stretch where things really came together. If I recall, they had Boro, Gannon, SRU, and UPJ all in a row. Norfleet was injured in there somewhere. It was right at the end of January/beginning of Feb.

Granted, that team was much easier for me to follow because I could watch them nightly (no streams are killer), so I don't have the same pulse of this team as I did that one. Obviously these are different teams, but that 2015 team, even with all of the great players they had, didn't start clicking until February. They were frustrating to watch most nights. Dyer hadn't found his game. The offense wasn't in a rhythm yet. At this time in 2015, they weren't an Elite 8 team.

I'm not saying this team will go on that same run, but doesn't everybody keep waiting for Danielak to finally find his stroke? What if he's the last piece they're missing? Different type of player, but what if he's this year's version of Shawn Dyer? A key element that just hasn't found it yet. If he finds his game, they could get hot quick.


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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The week ahead ...

WED: vs. California
SAT: at Clarion

I'm long past thinking this IUP team will have any easy games the rest of the season. I fully suspect Cal to come up here and put up a big fight. Clarion is, for whatever reason, very difficult in their gym and pretty bad on the road.

Cal is coming off a big win over a decent Seton Hill team and Clarion just dropped a 2-OT heart-breaker (at home) to Gannon.

Both have some players you can already see will cause IUP some issues. I can't see IUP losing either game but I fully suspect both will be close with 10 minutes left.` It's hard to pinpoint why this Joe team can't play in the first half. These big comebacks and thrilling finishes have been great for fans to watch (if you enjoy drama) ... but they aren't going to keep winning these all year.

It's time to kick it up a notch and start blowing these lesser teams out of the gym. The positive is I don't think this team is anywhere close to peaking yet. Granted, that's not a great thing to say on January 16 but it's also a good thing in a way. I think there will come a night when it all clicks at the same time.

BUT, continuing to struggle DEEP in games with the Edinboro's and Millersville's of the world is also a bad sign. The luck isn't going to last forever. They were real sloppy again in stretches against Edinboro. This 15-2 record could easily be 10-7 right now.

[IUP24]

"15-2 is 15-2." Style points certainly don't matter.



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[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Edinboro was predicted to give IUP a run this year but for some reason they haven't clicked.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Joe is turning hair gray this year. My goodness. Every. Freaking. Night.

He's always talked about every team that comes in there treats it like Madison Square Garden. I think his 'Joe Speak' is actually true.

Edinboro played a fabulous game. They really never should have lost that game. Kudos to IUP. They just find ways.

On the flip side of that I have to question Boro's coach on having a 4 and whatever record. He has serious talent on that team. No way in freaking heck they should have just four wins. He's got size, speed, shooters, ...... baffling.

Maybe they were just really up tonight. Maybe IUP is a mirage. I don't know any more.

This IUP team could win the regional or lose in the first round of the PSAC. Neither would surprise me.

But ... they just win. Flair for the dramatic ... to the extreme. But .. 15-2 is 15-2. They've made it a fun season.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Seems like the IUP men are making quite a few James Bond type of narrow escapes this season. Bravado will do that for you! Joe could have been cast as 007.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

IUP 80
Boro 77
Final

Glover hits trey with 1.9 ....

IUP big comeback to win.

That was the best 4-win team I've seen in a long time.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Wow

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

That's a tough duo to make a comparison. If you're building a PSAC team ... you could make a strong case for Sleva. In the MEC, obviously Bonifant. Both just make their teammates so much better due to the attention they draw. Sleva is also the rare PSAC big man who can shoot deep, also. He's hitting around 40 percent from trey land. He's a monster on the glass ... best I've seen in a long time in the PSAC.


You're right ... the Atlantic is pretty strong -- on top -- this year. Ship and IUP could play with the MEC Big 3 right now. Gannon ... wild card ... getting stronger. They could have a Mercyhurst-type run from last year in them come FEB-March -- good defense, two strong post players and a good guard. They really shut Wheeling down (63 points). Kutztown and ESU are tough outs.

From what I've seen (so far) ... my personal opinion is if Fairmont's healthy the region is theirs to lose.

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: Iup basketball

Sleva is a first-team All-American. No doubt in my mind. Ship is fairly young, too. The majority of its stars return next year.

Ship and Fairmont, if they ever meet this year, would be an incredible game to watch ... very similar teams.

I am not trolling or anything here..honest...but I've never seen Sleva play. He puts up great numbers. I'm wondering, how he would compare to Seger, of WL fame, because he was 1st team AA and D2 POY, so I'm curious...

I'm sure they are different players (no one has been the shooter Seger was), but just throwing it out there--who do you take when starting a team--Sleva or Seger?

The atlantic is loaded

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Sleva is a first-team All-American. No doubt in my mind. Ship is fairly young, too. The majority of its stars return next year.

Ship and Fairmont, if they ever meet this year, would be an incredible game to watch ... very similar teams.

[IUP24]

Shippensburg is for real. Just like I said they would be at the end of last year. Sleva is tremendous. How Lombardi let him get away from western PA is unreal. What a tremendous player.


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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

If the live stats are accurate ... Ship beat West Chester, 85-43. Wow. What in the world has happened to WCU? Too JUCO happy?

Kutztown up 13 on ESU with 7 mins left.

UPJ all over Cal ... Gannon over Boro ... SRU over Clarion ... Mercy by 1 over SH.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

IUP 73
Millersville 63
Final


Not pretty ... 20 TOs. Very chippy game. Glover went for 27 points. IUP won the boards 42-21. Game should have never been close.

Any road win is a good one ... but they're darn lucky they were playing Millersville tonight.