Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I do think it's time to take the diapers off Jaylen Stewart. He could easily be a 15+ PPG scorer. Let that boy eat. This season is what it is. Let Stewart and Garvin go nuts, Ethan clean up and Bryce get the rest. Joe's coaching in a fog. Petteno also needs to play more. Give him a chance.

The fun in the sun ended tonight. Big week looming. The trip to Greensburg won't be easy. Second Chance U comes here next weekend.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Something of note entering Wednesday is SH's promising sophomore forward (Gabe Gillespie) hasn't played since Dec. 30. Not sure what the deal is there.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Relatively easy win for IUP. Other than being slow out of the gate and falling down 7-0, they were in control once they grabbed the lead. What a strange season in the PSAC.

These incredibly slow starts are a pretty strange, continuous occurrence for this team.

There have been several games this year IUP will have two points at the 15 minute mark of the first half.

They recover (usually) but it's odd. I forget the game but earlier this year the score was like 3-2 at the 13 minute mark.


I do think IUP played an incredible defensive game yesterday minus the opening two minutes. Edinboro got some junk at the end to make it appear a little closer but they really clamped down on them. Total opposite of what we saw in Johnstown. That Edinboro team had been really scoring the ball well lately.

A huge play was IUP somehow scoring with 1.6 seconds on the clock to end the half. That was some Christian Laetner stuff. Massive momentum swing.

[TheMadLibs]

These incredibly slow starts are a pretty strange, continuous occurrence for this team.

There have been several games this year IUP will have two points at the 15 minute mark of the first half.

They recover (usually) but it's odd. I forget the game but earlier this year the score was like 3-2 at the 13 minute mark.


I do think IUP played an incredible defensive game yesterday minus the opening two minutes. Edinboro got some junk at the end to make it appear a little closer but they really clamped down on them. Total opposite of what we saw in Johnstown. That Edinboro team had been really scoring the ball well lately.

A huge play was IUP somehow scoring with 1.6 seconds on the clock to end the half. That was some Christian Laetner stuff. Massive momentum swing.

Whats crazier is almost the exact same play happened at the end of the half during Clarion Gannon for Clarion 😂. I switched to IUP and seconds later saw a full court pass and just laughed.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Starting with Wednesday's trip to Greensburg, IUP is going to play four tough games in eight days. This greuling stretch will be a major test for IUP's lack of depth.

(at) Seton Hill (WED)

Slippery Rock (SAT)

California (MON)

(at) Clarion (WED)


Seton Hill is a solid 10-6. IUP's had some real 'interesting' games inside the McKenna Center over the years. For whatever reason, this is the only game of the year there that gets packed. It's a very, very tight space and can be challenging if you let the crowd get in to the game. Of late, the Griffins played very well in losses to both Millersville and California, while picking up wins against Slippery Rock and Clarion. This past weekend, Seton Hill lost to Mercyhurst, 68-66. This is going to be a tough enviornment against a team that always feeds off of it in this series. Ask Joe Lombardi what his least favorite road trip is and the McKenna Center is the answer. Luckily, IUP typically brings a large crowd.

Slippery Rock is a tricky team. They can look great (OT loss to Gannon) and then not so great (sliding by UPJ by three). The Rock is 7-9 overall and 5-5 in PSAC play. They are certainly trending up after a very tough start. Saturday is one of SRU's best chances to end the notorious streak in Indiana (dating back to 1991). This is always the largest crowd of the year at the KCAC and set the new attendance record last season. The records are irrelevent in this game.

California has been waiting for this game since Danny was hired. He's winless against IUP, but he'll certainly be a road favorite next Monday. Star Keith Palek has also recently returned after missing 8 weeks with a broken foot. He's being worked in slowly. Adding back a 6'8" all-conference sharp-shooter to an already potent lineup likely spells doom for the league. IUP has won an astounding 20+ straight in the series, but that streak will be in serious danger.

Clarion - The record is deceiving. The Golden Eagles are a good, big team and play everybody pretty tough. Clarion has come close to beating many good teams. Typical for a team of largely sophomores, they just aren't finishing. This same roster had IUP dead in the water inside Tippin last February before IUP pulled off a minor miracle in the final 5 minutes. IUP was down 20+ in the second half and found a way to win. That IUP team was much different than this IUP team, so this will be a tough game - especially coming off SRU/Cal.


Thoughts: One would have to think IUP has a shot of going 3-1. That said, it really wouldn't be shocking to see 2-2. Hopefully it's not worse than 2-2. This is the pivotol four-game stretch of the season. As of now, they are (amazingly) at least still in the NCAA conversation -- albeit faintly.

[Chuck Norris]

Seton Hill play by play by play guy either got bad info or wrote something down wrong. Keeps referring to Sarp as Romero-Sanz. I certainly did a double take when I first turned the game on and heard it.

Edit: Romero-Sanz is listed as #20 in the roster. Did I miss Sarp changing numbers or did this just happen tonight?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Nice road win tonight in a pretty tough environment. IUP was up 15 with about a minute to go before Seton Hill fouled 87 times in the final 60 seconds.

The good:

* Garvin went nuts again. That's three straight games with 27 or more points. He was electric on both ends. He's become an elite PG.

* Ethan was a monster, just missing a triple double. Seton Hill threw everything they had at him in waves.

* Petteno had his best game at IUP. He made some big treys and really banged underneath. Stewart had a solid game on both ends. We all know Joe has a KJ man crush, but Petteno should be playing at least 25 mpg at SF. He just brings so much more to the table.

* SH was guarding Bryce when he was still in the bus but he still managed 15 points. Seriously, they were on him like he was Steph Curry.

* IUP hit 15 treys (52 percent from deep)

* It appeared Joe had them prepared for the zone pretty well.

* Nice road win against a fairly decent team. I think about half the SH male enrollment is on their roster. They had 23 dudes on the court for warmups (8 in tracksuits).


The bad:

* Brooks played 3 minutes. Waldo played 0 minutes. Lambert played 0 minutes. McNarmarra didn't make the trip and is rumored lost for the season (the fourth season-ending injury on the roster).

* IUP lost the glass. However, not by much. That's actually pretty good given the Griffins have a lot of size, and, well, Joe plays an assortment of 6'2" guards under the basket.

* IUP's press break continues to be the worst I've ever seen. It's too slow, for starters. Why teams don't press them more is baffling. It's awful. Just a guess but they are going to get pressed a lot the second loop through the West.

* IUP had numerous chances to bust the game wide open (20+) but couldn't do it.

* Sarp could be on the good and bad list. He had some great plays. He had some bad plays. True freshman.

* The refusal to play Brooks continues to put IUP at such a massive size disadvantage.

[Cobra Hawks]

Seton Hill play by play by play guy either got bad info or wrote something down wrong. Keeps referring to Sarp as Romero-Sanz. I certainly did a double take when I first turned the game on and heard it.

Edit: Romero-Sanz is listed as #20 in the roster. Did I miss Sarp changing numbers or did this just happen tonight?

Don't think they have Sarp's number in black for some reason. Second time this season it's happened.
Entertaining game and good number of treys made the difference.
Quite why KJ is seen as a starter is beyond me and probably most of us. Damir must be looking at the portal right now

[IUPalum]

A two year old can figure out that KJ doesn’t belong!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

A two year old can figure out that KJ doesn’t belong!

Please now refer to him as Starting Small Forward KJ Rhodes.

Lol I told you this was coming.

Notice how SH's SF went bonkers last night? Coincidence I'm sure.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Don't think they have Sarp's number in black for some reason. Second time this season it's happened.
Entertaining game and good number of treys made the difference.
Quite why KJ is seen as a starter is beyond me and probably most of us. Damir must be looking at the portal right now

Damir got the hose job of the century.

I'm sure him and Waldo are already looking for their next schools.

It's still funny to see Romero-Sanz (at almost 6'9" and 230 lbs) sitting in a tracksuit and Joe starting a 6'2" guard in the low post.

Joe would start KJ at all five positions if it was possible.

[IUPalum]

Damir got the hose job of the century.

I'm sure him and Waldo are already looking for their next schools.

It's still funny to see Romero-Sanz (at almost 6'9" and 230 lbs) sitting in a tracksuit and Joe starting a 6'2" guard in the low post.

Joe would start KJ at all five positions if it was possible.

KJ even being on this roster is embarrassing. I don't even think he starts at a PSU branch campus.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Daunting next two games. Both at home.

A red hot Slippery Rock teams comes in town first.

Monday, a California squad I'd call a little 'eager' to snap a 20-some game losing streak to Joe arrives.

They have a shot Saturday. They may get slaughtered Monday.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This is the 'Christmas Eve Mass' game of the season. It draws out a lot of the once-a-year types.

This will also be the first game since early December with the cheerleaders, dance teams, pep band, students, etc.

Joe has said numerous times over the years this first game back with everybody makes him nervous. He wants his team 'playing' and not 'performing'.

Hopefully this crowd gets in SRU's head a bit. They haven't played in this kind of atmosphere all year. Last year was nuts (even for a 3pm tip).

SRU's guards can really get it going on offense. Austin and Herster are 6'5" and 6'6". Stewart will get one of them but that means Bryce (5'11" has to take the other. That's a glaring mismatch in favor of SRU. I'd actually put Garvin on one of them.

The crowd will tee off on Herster. They've got him rattled here in the past. He'll talk back and get distracted.

Conversely, Porterfield is IUP's mismatch.

Joe cannot have his typical KCAC slow start today. They need to get the crowd involved right away.

I really like Petteno in this matchup. He can be kind of the x-factor. However, he needs to play. A lot. Brooks could also have a good matchup in this game. Wishful thinking.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If Petteno doesn't play 24-25 minutes today IUP will lose.

He's the only forward IUP has than can guard Lindsay.

Also, without Petteno on the floor, SRU will double EP.