Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

You sure wouldn't know basketball season is days away based on the (lack of) coverage in the media. I looked for preview articles for many PSAC teams ... nothing.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Apparently we missed it, but Gary Edwards retired about a month ago.

After a very successful run at IUP that ended, well, officially I'm not sure how it ended, ... he spent the past 16 seasons as the head coach at Francis Marion.

His 01-02 team at IUP is one for the books. It caught fire in the second half and overcame injury after catastrophe after injury after catastrophe. IUP entered Regional weekend down to 7 healthy players (literally) and won the Regional. It was a lonely bench. Granted, his starting five was amazing.

Edwards had quite a run at IUP. He was flamboyant, arrogant and tough, but also a very nice guy (off the court). He was the most hated visiting coach in the PSAC in his era. Imagine Kevin Reynolds on about 7-8 Red Bulls. His teams were scarier than the football players on campus. Back then, that said a lot. His rivalry with Bill Brown and California ... still my favorite memories of IUP basketball.

IUP was a much different animal under Edwards. He took lots of chances on 'second chance' players. Yes, some 'third chance' types, too. But, the baggage got put aside once they arrived (for the most part). Trust me, what people consider 'physical' teams in today's PSAC ... well, they would be ripped apart by Edwards' teams limb to limb. The crowds would feed off his antics.

He had a lot of star power during his time in Indiana -- Rodney Horton, Terrance Flowers, Geoff Evans, Wes Layton, Mike Beckles, Steve Menifee, Dennis Mims, Dwayne Anthony, Rob Norris, etc.

I hated to see how it ended for him here. To this day, you get a different answer from anybody you talk to about how it did actually end. The NCAA never did pin anything on him.

Edwards had a weekly column during his time in Indiana in the Gazette and continued to do so in the local paper at Francis Marion. He is a tremendous writer. I would assume a book will be coming soon enough.

A 'tell all' about that era ... oh boy. It may come with an 'R' rating. LOL.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I saw New Haven was picked to win the NE-10. The Chargers visit the KCAC on Nov. 26.

It will be the first ever meeting between the two on the hardwood.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They're will be a good following of parents at Clarion. FACT!

No doubt. I meant aside from parents.

The rest of us (I worry) will be sulking at Miller Stadium.

[IUPalum]

That's good. I have to assume the vast majority will be in Indiana for the football game.

They're will be a good following of parents at Clarion. FACT!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I saw that yesterday. We were thinking about making the trip to Clarion for both.

That's good. I have to assume the vast majority will be in Indiana for the football game.

[IUPalum]

I saw that yesterday. We were thinking about making the trip to Clarion for both.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well, some good news. The IUP vs Concord game is going to start at 1 p.m. this Saturday. That means IUP fans can at least watch it prior to the State Game at 3 p.m.

I was hoping they weren't going to go off at the same time.

[Ship69]

It was a joke!

Good to know. With the pervasiveness of online gambling these days, it actually wouldn't have surprised me.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It was a joke!

Well, Tom didn't cover the 57.5. I think they lost by 64.

They scored 11 points in the second half. Total.

I think this new guy wants to play up-tempo but he inherited a roster recruited to play the opposite of up-tempo. Tom loved that slow-as-snails, Norman Dale offense.

[IUPalum]

There's a line for a preseason women's game between D1 and D2 teams? Good Lord.

It was a joke!

[Ship69]

The line is Duke -57.5

There's a line for a preseason women's game between D1 and D2 teams? Good Lord.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP women might lose by 80 today.

The line is Duke -57.5

[IUPalum]

IUP women might lose by 80 today.

[Ship69]

I'm actually a little concerned for IUP -- in particular during this first stretch. They have to get healthy by next Saturday. As of today, they have 3 key subs injured (and Joe only plays, at most, 8 guys).

So, if they start the season with players 9, 10 and 11 suddenly becoming players 6, 7 and 8 ... that's a problem.

Looking at their 'first half'

Concord (neutral floor) - They always play IUP pretty tough and have several key upperclassmen back

Winston-Salem State (neutral floor) - Picked high in the CIAA preseason poll. Big and athletic.

Bowie State - Always seems to be a war between these two.

(at) Walsh - Ranked in Preseason NABC Top 20

New Haven - Rare match-up but a solid program

That leads to what should be a light three-game stretch with (at) Mansfield, (at) Bloomsburg and Penn State-Altoona.

The final two games prior to XMAS are home games (back to back) with Kutztown and West Chester.


I'd say 7 of the 10 games in the 'first half' will be challenging.

Sounds like Winston-Salem could be a tough one if their performance in a scrimmage with Wake Forest is any indication. Bowie and the CIAA teams can always be dangerous on a given night, even when they're having a down year. Ship had that weird 47-39 game with Bowie last season that still is a head-scratcher to me. Kutztown and West Chester have had a lot of roster changes — hard to read them. I can understand your worry about principal reserves being out because then if one of the starters is injured you're really going deep into the bench for depth. Although Ship didn't have a ton of injuries last year, they didn't have a lot of experienced depth and it was really hard for them to work around the Biss and Nedrow injuries at times.