Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The morning after reality check:

* IUP has lost three straight and is now 16-11 - far and away the worst record any team at IUP has had in the past 17 years. IUP's streak of 20+ win seasons is almost certainly going to end. IUP has lost more games this year (already) than in the past several seasons combined.

Last night:

* Garvin finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. He was electric around the basket. That was the good part. The bad part was he took a whooping 30 shots -- and hit just 1 of 10 from outside. He also committed 6 turnovers. Cal has twice baited him to fire away from outside. In two games against the Vulcans, Clarke has gone 3-22 from deep. Danny's strategy has worked.

* In both games, Cal has sold out on not allowing Bryce or Ethan to shoot from outside. Last night, the duo attempted just 5 combined, hitting 3 of them.

* Overall, IUP's defense was pretty good. That Vulcans team can really put up some big numbers. In two games, IUP has held them to 65 and 75 points -- well below their season average. Last night was a game you REALLY miss having a 6'4" shutdown defender like Dallis Dillard. IUP just has nobody to cover KJ McClurg. He made some crazy shots.

* Jaylen Stewart started the game red hot, hitting his first two three-point attempts. He then went 0-7 from the field the rest of the game. He didn't play much in the second half.

* Petteno had a very strong game, going for 9 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes. He had a good look on a trey in IUP's final surge which could have tied the game but it didn't fall. He's better than most realize. I wish he had played much more this year.

* Damir Brooks scored 2 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 2 blocks in just 15 minutes. He did bobble/miss two great passes that should have been easy layups/dunks. Both resulted in costly turnovers.

* Bryce Radford was non-existent in the first half (on both ends). He did seem to catch a bit of a spark in the second half but he was a major defensive liability the whole game. Cal's guards are just too big and too fast for him.

* Sarp Furtun had a disatrous 3 minutes (two of those came in the first half when he committed two costly turnovers on back-to-back possessions and was beat defensively twice). Sarp has a future here, but he's not yet ready for that level of game. In fairness, if not for injuries he'd have never played this year and would have been redshirted.

* IUP got close several times, but couldn't get a key stop, make a big shot, etc., in crunch time. It was a strong effort. They just needed a couple more horses in the barn. Cal has vastly more depth and talent than they do this year.


All in all, losing down there by just 7 points was fairly impressive for this group. I thought they played hard (much harder than they did at SRU). Joe waited until the second to last game to tweak his rotation. Better late than never, I suppose.

As I said last night, this remaining roster just has too many weaknesses to win a big game. It's possible, but they'd have to play nearly perfect. Ethan still being sick isn't helping. They had to keep pulling him out last night. This is the first IUP team in forever that has several poor defensive players. Good teams see it right away and take advantage of it.


Could this team make any noise next week? I doubt it. But, if motivated, they should be a tough out.

Hopefully they can stop this skid on Saturday. It will not be easy, however. Clarion lost yet another close game last night to Mercyhurst, 54-50. IUP barely won at Clarion last month - and that was without Golden Eagles' star power forward Jayson Harris. He's back now. It's going to be a battle.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Pretty good effort from this team. IUP just has too many weaknesses right now.

IUP had a couple lapses that burned them.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

No fouling in final minute. No pressure.

WTF ???

[PennYork]

And then Stewart stepped out of bounds on a big 3 point shot. Dang.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not a bad half aside from Sarp, who looked totally lost and overmatched.

I don't think Joe should play Bryce in the second half. He's too small against this lineup and is getting smoked on defense.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

So according to Joe's pre match interview Josh is going to play the 3 with Damir and KJ sharing the 4. Only taken all season!!!

Lol

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Get Sarp out of this game. He's not ready -- and is sucking big time.

He looks terrified.

[Cobra Hawks]

So according to Joe's pre match interview Josh is going to play the 3 with Damir and KJ sharing the 4. Only taken all season!!!

[PennYork]

Stewart is a big variable. He does have the skill to go off. He came to IUP for a reason, get cocky and bust out of that shell. They don't need him to be a team leader, they just need him to take a step up.

[IUPalum]

This afternoon.

However, these will also just be alphabetical.

Release 3 is actually ranked in order.

You know why hurt anybody's feelings. Lol.

Can't hurt any feelings no a days. Everyone gets a trophy!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Does the NCAA not release regional rankings anymore? There’s still no update from last week’s alphabetical top 10

This afternoon.

However, these will also just be alphabetical.

Release 3 is actually ranked in order.

You know why hurt anybody's feelings. Lol.

[Chuck Norris]

Does the NCAA not release regional rankings anymore? There’s still no update from last week’s alphabetical top 10.

Edit: wrong thread, but I’ll leave it here anyway just to feel like IUP still has life lol.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Some observations from the first IUP vs Cal game this year ( a 65-57 Vulcans' win):


* Josh Petteno wasn't dressed due to illness

* Damir Brooks was dressed and didn't play - to the astonishment of the entire building. Even as foul trouble grew, Brooks remained in his warmup shirt. More on that later.

* Garvin Clarke scored a very ugly 21 points -- 7 of 23 from the field including 2-12 from deep. He did lead IUP with a whopping 15 rebounds -- which is a direct correlation to the first two bullet points.

* Ethan Porterfield went for 16 and grabbed 13 rebounds -- but was harrassed and double-teamed most of the night.

* Ethan and Garvin accounted for 28 of IUP's 45 rebounds, and 37 of IUP's 57 points.

* IUP's bench contributed 2 points. Sarp Furton fouled out in just 18 minutes off the bench.

* The glaring difference in the game came at the FT line. Cal went 22-26, while IUP was just 7-11.

* The technical foul on Jaylen Stewart without question changed the entire game.

* KJ had 2 points and 3 rebounds in 31 minutes. He also committed 4 fouls. That is one horrendous stat line. All, of course, while Damir played 0 minutes in a very physical game.

* Both teams shot horribly from outside. Cal went 3-19 and IUP hit 8-36. As Cal smothered Ethan, IUP was forced to shoot (and miss) from outside all night.

* As foul trouble grew, Joe had no choice but to play Dolan Waldo and Jordan Lambert -- the first game action either had seen in several weeks. Both understandably looked lost. Again, Brooks was dressed but didn't play. Waldo hadn't played in a least a month.


So, can IUP possibly win tonight? It's highly doubtful, but the following has to happen:

* Bryce Radford was swallowed in the first game and was a non-factor. Vulcans' star KJ McClurg completely shut him down, and made every shot attempt very difficult. That cannot happen again tonight. Garvin and Ethan are at their best when Bryce is hitting shots. It forces the defense to spread out -- creating Garvin lanes and EP more room inside and outside. When Bryce is off, IUP is off.

* This isn't a harp on the KJ situation, but he is not built to play in this game tonight. He was flung around like a rag doll in the first meeting. Petteno is much more physical and has the ability to score the ball. The first game was custom-made for Damir as he's by far IUP's most physical player, and can be an elite rebounder and shot blocker. Damir is also night and day more effective in IUP's 1-2-2 press. I'll be real clear: if IUP does in fact want to win tonight, Brooks and Petteno need to share those 40 small forward minutes. This is the game to keep KJ in his warmup shirt. Wishful thinking, of course.

* Jaylen Stewart had an awful game the first go-around. He was 4-19 from the field with 4 fouls and 2 turnovers. He also had the game-altering technical foul that really swung the momentum. He's capable of having a big game. We've seen it, but it's been awhile. He needs it tonight.

* Cal baited Garvin in to taking 12 deep shots the first meeting. If they plan on doing that again, he needs to get hot.

* The zebra crew ruined the first game -- calling a whopping 40 fouls. That was the infamous 'look at me' crew. Hopefully they aren't there tonight.

* Sarp is going to play tonight. He has been shaky at best the past 4-5 games. He needs to limit turnovers and play much better on defense.

* IUP did a great job playing very slow in the first game. They must do that again tonight to have any shot. If this goes track meet, IUP will be run out of the building.

* Defensively, they need to be at a different level. IUP looked awful at Slippery Rock ... like lack of effort awful. Cal has weapons everywhere. IUP needs to crank up the heat.

[IUPalum]

So recent history for IUP is to hire from within, without much effort given to the search. Hopefully Joe stays a few more years until the budget crisis eases a bit more.

I was talking recruiting.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

True, would have said the same about the women’s program a couple years ago. I’d hope they’d do a full search, but I’m still not sure since the bloodbath a few years ago, administration hasn’t been the same.

Well, that was a mess. Tom screwed them over BIG time (the timing of his retirement was inexcusable).

Carey had great timing and apparently made a good enough impression. I'd have to guess given his age and no HC experience that he came pretty cheap, too.