Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

But the PSAC is a grind. There will be a couple incomprehension losses left. Hope they can go deeper into the bench in the upcoming games.

I agree with you. With the roster they are playing with now, this isn't a dominant type team. Very good but not dominant.

The rest of the way ... I see them splitting with UPJ, Cal and Gannon. They won't lose to anybody else unless they take another injury. That puts them at 4 losses overall entering the conference tournament (and a home game).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Ethan is starting because he has to. Keep in mind they lost a superstar under the basket for the season who through four games was scoring 17 points and grabbing 9 boards.
-- and playing all 5 positions. It was planned for Ethan to be the 7th man. That was the most minutes he's played all year. Shawndale usually plays more. Ethan has been getting around 23-26 mpg.

Joe hates that whole scorers' table up there. They've had lots of issues over the years. The shot clock doesn't reset. The scoreboard freezes. The game clock stops too fast. Those clowns mouth off. Lot of 'coincidental' stuff that has happened far too often. He sure doesn't trust them ... put it that way.

Imagine a sophmore Ethan with Demo next year ... yikes.


Rock always goes nuts against IUP up there. The rematch won't be close in Indiana. Double digits. IUP got completely hosed on at least four calls in the second half Wednesday night. Each one killed momentum. Two blocks got called ... very cheap. That's what happens on the road. They were fortunate to get out of there with a win.

[IUP24]

Porterfield reminds me a little bit of a more offensive version of Devon Cottrell. I think that's something this team has lacked - an athletic shot blocker who gets after it on D, but can still score. Devon had a good inside game, which I think Porterfield will develop too, but I like his ability to play away from the basket and stretch and run the floor. I think that's what a lot of us expected out of Blake Danielak, but it never really materialized.

I still think back to IUP's win over WL in 2015. The play that really swung the game and gave IUP the momentum inside the final ten minutes was a big block by Devon. West Lib had numbers on a fast break after a steal. Cottrell ran the whole floor and had a thunderous block off the backboard as a WL player was going in to finish a layup. IUP grabbed the loose ball off the block and turned it into points the other way. It was a tie game at that point, but I think that was the moment inside that arena when those fans started getting nervous. That was also the moment I realized IUP was going to win that basketball game.

I think long term Porterfield has that game changing defensive ability in him. If his offensive game continues to round into form, he could be a special player.

[IUP24]

He was a walk-on the past two years. They gave him some money this season. He earned it.

I've said many times he'd start at more than half the schools in the PSAC. I really think he's an invaluable piece the rest of the way (and next year).

For as much as we harp on Joe limiting his roster and redshirting guys, I think we all can agree that these "down the liners" who typically see extended action after the first causality of the season aren't necessarily bad players. What year was it that CJ Rudisill became a full time starter? He was exposed as a starter playing 30 minutes a night, but when he was a reserve getting 10-15 minutes a game early in the season he was not a bad player for them. Given his limitations, he played admirably for that team.

I guess my point is that Joe typically has talented players on scholarship. The guys who round out the roster as walk-ons at least have some quality to them.

[IUPTrackMan]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

He's come a long way the last two years. great to see,

He was a walk-on the past two years. They gave him some money this season. He earned it.

I've said many times he'd start at more than half the schools in the PSAC. I really think he's an invaluable piece the rest of the way (and next year).

[ironmaniup]

Anthony White is a real key to this season. He missed some time due to a death in his family. You saw last night what he can give them off the bench -- on both ends. The outside shooting has been bad all year. However, they did hit 10 of 24 treys last night. That's pretty solid. But, they almost all came in the first half. They got real cold outside after the break.

He's come a long way the last two years. great to see,

[ironmaniup]

The thing that does scare me about IUP is that they don't have any post presence (and I know we've talked about that a ton). They have great guard play, but aren't a great overall shooting team, particularly from deep. I like the match up issues they cause with their size and athleticism at the guard position, but if they can't run when you get into a game with a much larger and physical team, they will be in trouble. Not a matter of if, but when. They'r a jump shooting and driving team. I have no issues with that, but there are potential ceilings for a team that has no true threat in the low post.

I really, really like Porterfield. He looks like he has the potential to be a special type of player down the road. There's moments where you can tell he's a freshman, but there's spurts, like last night, where he looks really, really good.

It definitely is making for an interesting year. I think Porterfield will improve alot as the season goes on, he'll be peaking at playoff time. With Demo in, he'd be much less of a player at that point. I think the deep shooting will pick up as the season goes on, too. This lineup I think is good enough to win the psac west, will be a great cinderella story if they go further.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Interesting Tweet from IUP ... only D2 school in the country with the men (9) and women (8) both ranked.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The thing that does scare me about IUP is that they don't have any post presence (and I know we've talked about that a ton). They have great guard play, but aren't a great overall shooting team, particularly from deep. I like the match up issues they cause with their size and athleticism at the guard position, but if they can't run when you get into a game with a much larger and physical team, they will be in trouble. Not a matter of if, but when. They'r a jump shooting and driving team. I have no issues with that, but there are potential ceilings for a team that has no true threat in the low post.

I really, really like Porterfield. He looks like he has the potential to be a special type of player down the road. There's moments where you can tell he's a freshman, but there's spurts, like last night, where he looks really, really good.

Well, the makeup of the team isn't going to change. You got the star post player out for the season and the 6'10" kid wearing a tracksuit in Joe's, well, required redshirt year. They are who they are the rest of the way. The only glimmer of hope underneath is he's starting to trust Ulrich a bit more each game. He at least gives them a 6'8", 245 lb presence under there. That said, there aren't many teams in the Atlantic bigger than what they saw last night. They are 12-1 and real close to being undefeated.

I was cracking up when Joe said it was like SRU had 6 guys under the basket. It sure looked like it.

Chucky and Ethan are fine against standard bigs (in fact, they actually give IUP an advantage). It's the big, muscular behemoths that will cause them all the issues (like last night). Against most teams, Shawndale can at least hang in there in his converted 'power forward' role. Last night was just a case of SRU being too big down there. Thus he played just 14 minutes.

Anthony White is a real key to this season. He missed some time due to a death in his family. You saw last night what he can give them off the bench -- on both ends. The outside shooting has been bad all year. However, they did hit 10 of 24 treys last night. That's pretty solid. But, they almost all came in the first half. They got real cold outside after the break.

[IUP24]

The thing that does scare me about IUP is that they don't have any post presence (and I know we've talked about that a ton). They have great guard play, but aren't a great overall shooting team, particularly from deep. I like the match up issues they cause with their size and athleticism at the guard position, but if they can't run when you get into a game with a much larger and physical team, they will be in trouble. Not a matter of if, but when. They'r a jump shooting and driving team. I have no issues with that, but there are potential ceilings for a team that has no true threat in the low post.

I really, really like Porterfield. He looks like he has the potential to be a special type of player down the road. There's moments where you can tell he's a freshman, but there's spurts, like last night, where he looks really, really good.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

really, really

[IUPNation]

A Slimey Pebble sweep last night.

As it should be.

[IUP24]

IUP picked up a very nice road win, 78-74. It wasn't pretty at times but any win in Morrow in this series is a big one. To SRU's credit, it appeared IUP was going to pull away several times and the Rock kept coming back. Kudos to the IUP faithful in attendance. There were times the IUP crowd took over the gym.

Malik and Armoni both had 23 points ... and hit some amazingly clutch shots. Nice team night at the FT line hitting 18 of 22. Malik went 7-7 at the line -- including 4 massive FTs in the final minute.

IUP got blasted -- and I mean BLASTED -- on the glass ... 46 to 27. SRU had a tremendous size advantage. IUP's top two rebounders tonight were Malik and Armoni. That's life against a big team with no Demo. They offset it by turning the ball over just 6 times. Ethan was pretty solid offensively. The SRU frontcourt was a little overpowering on the glass.

Interesting Shawdale played just 14 minutes. He's not injured and is coming off his two best games of the year. I think in his forced 'power forward' role he's just too small to be effective among the SRU giants. Anthony White returned to the team and played a solid 15 minutes -- scoring 8 points and hitting two big treys.

It was the cleanest IUP vs SRU game I've seen in a decade -- certainly the past 5 years. The teams were cordial and respectful. Take Dante away and the kids play nice. LOL. Well, it's true.

SRU is a good team. They had their chances tonight late in the game. David Morris missed that layup ... I thought that was it. That was the omen. But, they recovered. SRU has played 5-6 games now with Till back. They are going to be a real treat for everybody the second time around as they gel with him and he gets in better shape.

It was a great game. Both teams played well enough to win.

I was right there with you when Morris missed that layup. I thought there were some stretches where Porterfield looked really good tonight.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP picked up a very nice road win, 78-74. It wasn't pretty at times but any win in Morrow in this series is a big one. To SRU's credit, it appeared IUP was going to pull away several times and the Rock kept coming back. Kudos to the IUP faithful in attendance. There were times the IUP crowd took over the gym.

Malik and Armoni both had 23 points ... and hit some amazingly clutch shots. Nice team night at the FT line hitting 18 of 22. Malik went 7-7 at the line -- including 4 massive FTs in the final minute.

IUP got blasted -- and I mean BLASTED -- on the glass ... 46 to 27. SRU had a tremendous size advantage. IUP's top two rebounders tonight were Malik and Armoni. That's life against a big team with no Demo. They offset it by turning the ball over just 6 times. Ethan was pretty solid offensively. The SRU frontcourt was a little overpowering on the glass.

Interesting Shawdale played just 14 minutes. He's not injured and is coming off his two best games of the year. I think in his forced 'power forward' role he's just too small to be effective among the SRU giants. Anthony White returned to the team and played a solid 15 minutes -- scoring 8 points and hitting two big treys.

It was the cleanest IUP vs SRU game I've seen in a decade -- certainly the past 5 years. The teams were cordial and respectful. Take Dante away and the kids play nice. LOL. Well, it's true.

SRU is a good team. They had their chances tonight late in the game. David Morris missed that layup ... I thought that was it. That was the omen. But, they recovered. SRU has played 5-6 games now with Till back. They are going to be a real treat for everybody the second time around as they gel with him and he gets in better shape.

It was a great game. Both teams played well enough to win.