Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Dennis Mims would’ve been my first choice but he was mentioned already.

Aaron Faulkner and Eric Castorino were a couple of the best guards to ever play at IUP! Castorino’s hustle was the best I’ve ever seen and Faulkner’s smoothness and sniper 3 ball were absolutely awesome!

It's amazing to think Edwards won a Regional with (6) guys and a couple non-playing walk-ons until you think of who those (6) guys were. That was just an incredible story.

Imagine Mims playing against this current team? He'd go for 35 and 18 rebounds every time.

Ethan is a great player but Mims would have ate him for lunch and dinner.

[IUPalum]

Dennis Mims would’ve been my first choice but he was mentioned already.

Aaron Faulkner and Eric Castorino were a couple of the best guards to ever play at IUP! Castorino’s hustle was the best I’ve ever seen and Faulkner’s smoothness and sniper 3 ball were absolutely awesome!

[Chuck Norris]

I’m going to have more than one but I’ll start with Derrick Freeman from the mid 90’s. That was about the time IUP was becoming a national contender and there were some incredible games in the Field House, especially against Cal. What I remember most about him was his thunderous dunks. They always seemed to be at the right time and often changing the momentum of the game. He was a bad dude under the rim. He was just inducted into the IUP Sports Hall of Fame this year.

My list would include several guys from those teams, but Freeman definitely led the way. He was a man among boys…literally. I don’t remember the specifics of his story, but he was already in his mid 20s when he got here.

Going even a little more old school, shortly before all those guys showed up, IUP’s best player was a guy named Paul Newman. He’s the reason why my mind doesn’t go straight to the legendary actor any time i hear that name lol.

For more recent players, I’d go with Marcel. We forget, but for much of his career he was a bit of a whipping boy on this board, but his progression from occasional contributor to role player to all conference star was one of my favorites among all IUP players I’ve watched. It was capped by his remarkable performance in the 3OT loss to West Liberty.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I propose a new game during this mini break in action. Name an IUP hooper who brings you joy anytime you think of them.

I'll go first.

Devon Cottrell. Legend has it he's still roaming around the back hallways of the KCAC blocking shots in his 12th year of eligibility. Driz. He was our Udonis Haslem...our minister of Crimson Hawk Culture.

Dennis Mims

There was no badder man at IUP than Mims.

How he got here isn't important. Gary Edwards got him. He was only here for one year, but he was as dominant a 'big' as IUP has ever had. He went (legit) 6'9" and a ripped 240 lbs.


A few years before Mims arrived, Rodney Horton was about the most dynamic, flamboyant scorer maybe to ever play here. Horton was a 6'5" guard who literally played all five positions at times and was clearly a far-superior talent for D2. Perhaps some baggage lead him to Edwards. Lol. Lips are sealed.

Horton ripped Cal for 40+ one Saturday night in a sold out Memorial Field House (in the heat of the rivalry).


As for the modern era: Brandon Spain and Chucky.

Spain should have been a star here. His timing was bad. I'll leave it at that. Chucky could have been a star at most places but played his role here perfectly.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I propose a new game during this mini break in action. Name an IUP hooper who brings you joy anytime you think of them.

I'll go first.

Devon Cottrell. Legend has it he's still roaming around the back hallways of the KCAC blocking shots in his 12th year of eligibility. Driz. He was our Udonis Haslem...our minister of Crimson Hawk Culture.

I’m going to have more than one but I’ll start with Derrick Freeman from the mid 90’s. That was about the time IUP was becoming a national contender and there were some incredible games in the Field House, especially against Cal. What I remember most about him was his thunderous dunks. They always seemed to be at the right time and often changing the momentum of the game. He was a bad dude under the rim. He was just inducted into the IUP Sports Hall of Fame this year.

[EyeoftheHawk]

No one was there will ever forget it. It got very uncomfortable as a fan. I remember someone around where I was sitting whispering to the person next to them something like, “ok enough, we need to start cheering.” It had to be awful for the players as the minutes went by.

But yes, it was an interesting, outside of the box idea and it brought in a huge crowd. It will always be part of IUP basketball lore.

I was living out of state when this went down but I’ve heard so much about it that I’d say it has to go down as one of the most memorable games in IUP hoops history. For that reason alone it was a great promotion regardless of the outcome. In some ways losing the game made it more memorable. If IUP would have come out and blew Gannon out of the building there wouldn’t be nearly as much talk about it and there probably would have been a Silent Night game every year.

[hawks16]

I propose a new game during this mini break in action. Name an IUP hooper who brings you joy anytime you think of them.

I'll go first.

Devon Cottrell. Legend has it he's still roaming around the back hallways of the KCAC blocking shots in his 12th year of eligibility. Driz. He was our Udonis Haslem...our minister of Crimson Hawk Culture.

[Chuck Norris]

I always wanted to hear John Reily's thoughts on that night (Gannon coach).

It's a neat idea. It just backfired miserably. Wrong opponent. Biggest crowd in there ever and it was dead silent for the first 9-10 minutes of the game. I remember Joe saying it psyched his team out.

Schedule it against Clarion, not the (then) best defense in the league.

Amazingly, IUP was winning that game at halftime.

It's a good story.

No one who was there will ever forget it. It got very uncomfortable as a fan. I remember someone around where I was sitting whispering to the person next to them something like, “ok enough, we need to start cheering.” It had to be awful for the players as the minutes went by.

But yes, it was an interesting, outside of the box idea and it brought in a huge crowd. It will always be part of IUP basketball lore.

[Ship69]

Agreed. I worry that the challenge IUP is going to have with that exact statement moving forward, is this...

The lesser or middle of the road teams within the PSAC will likely keep more players than the top dogs (IUP, Mercyhurst, East Stroud, etc.) for longer. IUP will continue to get guys who are low end D1 players who will ultimately transfer after 1-2 seasons. I firmly believe that's IUP's new reality... A revolving door. That's not to say that they won't get talented players, but don't get attached, because they won't be here long. The Ethan Porterfield, program guys, of this era are going to be extremely rare at IUP anymore - or anywhere for that matter. But the guys who you see at Lock Haven, Bloom, etc., likely aren't always transferring in and out. They'll stick around and keep getting energized to play in "The Garden" of D2 basketball, as Joe once referred to it as. They'll get energized and get up to play the storied program of the league.

You have those factors and then you'll have a starting 5 trotting out of one high school recruit and 3-4 transfers all in their first year with the program. Joe's program, and success, has always been built on the basis of culture, consistency, and a family environment. He always got guys to buy into the program over a long period of time who really cared about the culture of the program and each other. I'm not sure you can continually do that when you have such a revolving door. And as such, I don't think these guys who do not have the long term connection to the program understand or recognize just how bad people in the other locker room want to beat them. It's going to be hard to match that energy nightly.

I don't necessarily agree that it's going to be a bigger challenge for the top teams. While the lower teams might keep more players, they're in constant danger of having any standout player they do happen to recruit poached by one of the traditional powers.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not to beat a dead hawk, but it was the attendance record for several years

I always wanted to hear John Reily's thoughts on that night (Gannon coach).

It's a neat idea. It just backfired miserably. Wrong opponent. Biggest crowd in there ever and it was dead silent for the first 9-10 minutes of the game. I remember Joe saying it psyched his team out.

Schedule it against Clarion, not the (then) best defense in the league.

Amazingly, IUP was winning that game at halftime.

It's a good story.

[hawks16]

Dumbest game promo ever!!!

Not to beat a dead hawk, but it was the attendance record for several years

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They’ve got three studs, assuming Dallis will be ok, a very good role player in Brooks and then it’s just a mish-mash of guys after that. I don’t think Joe has any idea what he might get from guys 5-10 on any given night or who fits into what role. The freshman walk on seems like the most sure thing at this point. Like I said before, it’s a strange team. It’ll be interesting to see if Joe eventually does whittle down to 7 or 8 like usual or if he just has to keep mixing and matching all season.

The IUP Faithful better be praying Dallis is OK.

If he misses any amount of time, well, it won't be pretty.

I suspect he'll be OK, but he's the heart and soul of that team.

Radford will dress for the next game, but he's no Dallis. Stewart and Petteno need to see Tony Robbins.

IUP's Big 3 can keep them afloat, but they need all three.

[IUPalum]

SIlent Night makes me laugh every year when it comes up.

We said it the day after ... there would never, ever be another one under Redshirt Joe's watch.

There hasn't been.

Dumbest game promo ever!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Just threaten to organize another Silent Night vs. Gannon if they don't bring back 7:30 tipoffs and I guarantee things change.

Top five list of two-word phrases Joe Lombardi hates:

5. True freshmen
4. Kevin Reynolds
3. West Liberty
2. GQ ref
1. Silent Night

SIlent Night makes me laugh every year when it comes up.

We said it the day after ... there would never, ever be another one under Redshirt Joe's watch.

There hasn't been.

[hawks16]

Unfortunately, that KCAC 'magic' his died a little bit (a lot, actually). The move to mostly 3 p.m. Saturday games, atmosphere-wise, has been an absolute killer. The crowds are smaller and much more mild.

The exclusive Satuday night game was an IUP staple dating back to the mid-90s. It's something they need to bring back ASAP.

Just threaten to organize another Silent Night vs. Gannon if they don't bring back 7:30 tipoffs and I guarantee things change.

Top five list of two-word phrases Joe Lombardi hates:

5. True freshmen
4. Kevin Reynolds
3. West Liberty
2. GQ ref
1. Silent Night