Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

I'll just say the rivalry for SRU stems more from football than actually basketball competition.

* Tomorrows meeting is the next big game towards the IUP goals. Win the PSAC West first. Wins takes over sole possession of the division even though the Rock has 5 losses. (Doesn't matter)

* Who guards Till tomorrow? I do believe Cobo did last year.

* Does IUP press at any point/use what ESU did earlier in the year to beat them?

This IUP team will be ready tomorrow. Joe and the players know how big this game is.

You going?

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

I'll just say the rivalry for SRU stems more from football than actually basketball competition.

* Tomorrows meeting is the next big game towards the IUP goals. Win the PSAC West first. Wins takes over sole possession of the division even though the Rock has 5 losses. (Doesn't matter)

* Who guards Till tomorrow? I do believe Cobo did last year.

* Does IUP press at any point/use what ESU did earlier in the year to beat them?

This IUP team will be ready tomorrow. Joe and the players know how big this game is.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The annual trip to Morrow Field House is tomorrow. Although, coming over break, it will likely be empty and not its normal circus. Joe brings out the best in the SRU crowd.

It's actually odd in many ways this is considered (by most) to be IUP's top rivalry game. Consider:

* The series isn't even close. IUP has dominated the past three decades. Slippery Rock hasn't won a game in Indiana in almost 30 years. That's not a typo. Joe Lombardi's record against SRU is incredible. So was Gary Edwards' mark. IUP has lost a couple games at Morrow in the past 30 years but very few.

* It's very rare in the past 10 years for any SRU player to play against IUP for more than one season. The Rock essentially started every year with a new roster under suspended coach Kevin Reynolds.


Yet, this is the 'big' game. SRU draws awful crowds all year. Except when IUP visits Morrow. IUP's largest crowd of the year is typically for The Rock's visit. Tomorrow is just yet another example of the PSAC not using their brains in scheduling. Why in the world this game gets played over break is baffling.

Despite the upside down Win-Loss record in the series, the games have always been close. Thrillers. Dramatic. Violent. Dirty. Heated.

Kevin Reynolds very rarely beat IUP in his tenure. But, nobody came closer to doing it consistently. His best chance to win at the KCAC came on January 25, 2014, in front of well over 3,000 fans. With SRU in control the game, Reynolds did what he did best. He wouldn't shut up. He was finally given a technical foul which ultimately changed the entire momentum of the game. IUP went on to win, 66-64.

A year ago in Morrow, it was Deja Vu. The Rock was called for two technicals -- one on Reynolds -- in a thrilling IUP victory which saw Anthony Glover hit a walk-off three-pointer as time expired. Adding to the storyline, IUP played with just 6 players that night.

Last season the game at the KCAC was also a nail-biter. IUP pulled it out late. That game saw one of the more memorable fouls ever called. Late in the game, Micah Till (6'7" and 265 pounds) hit Dante Lombardi so hard (total cheap shot) that he almost flew in to the 7th row. However, Dante, air-born, was projected right in to an SRU player under the basket. Dante, of course, was called for the foul. The SRU player who was hit got up and started to approach Row 1 of the KCAC prior to being restrained by teammates. Security then lined the court. Typical IUP/SRU moment.

Tomorrow's meeting, as usual, has high stakes. The winner will be in first place of the PSAC West. Despite having 5 losses, SRU only has one conference loss. The Rock has rebounded from a lot of early adversity. It has won 7 straight. Included in the streak are two impressive wins -- one a drubbing of West Chester and also a 2 OT win at Mercyhurst. However, the streak also includes an OT win against a dreadful Seton Hill and a bad Lock Haven taking them to the final minutes.

Slippery Rock poses one of the best lineup matches against IUP this year. They are one of the few teams around who can equal the size of IUP. Add to it very solid guard play. SRU always gets sky-high for this game, too, and they rarely lose at home.

Rock teams under Reynolds would routinely play well against IUP for 38 minutes. But you could always count on those two bad minutes a game. Often times, that was the only difference in the outcome. That, and the coach never knowing when to shut his mouth.

Reynolds won't be there tomorrow. SRU is playing much more poised under interim coach Ian Grady. Reynolds was often the one who stirred the pot for a lot of the extracurricular activities.

One thing for sure. It won't be the same without him.

[IUP24]

He gets called on that pump fake travel at least 3 times a game. Cobo, too.

Those 9 TOs in first half yesterday ... 8 were self-inflicted.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Malik has been prone to turnovers too. Absolutely tremendous player, but he turns it over too much for my liking.


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He gets called on that pump fake travel at least 3 times a game. Cobo, too.

Those 9 TOs in first half yesterday ... 8 were self-inflicted.

[IUP24]

Very unfortunate.

The positive is Armoni is more than ready to play heavy minutes.

Chucky also gets a boost and perhaps moves in to a true hybrid G/F role. This will change Marko's minutes, too. That may actually be Chucky's most valuable role.

Bearer is a huge loss, though. Being almost mid-Jan ... probably done. Broken thumbs take time. He was great at all the stuff most don't see.

You'd have to assume that happened in practice Monday or Tuesday so they didn't have much time to get used to the fact he wouldn't be there gameplan-wise.

Dansecs is going to have to play some -- ready or not.

No team goes a full season injury-free. Just gotta move on and regroup. Some more live action will help Dansecs.

As IUPAlum said, Malik has been prone to fouling. That has to scale back.

Malik has been prone to turnovers too. Absolutely tremendous player, but he turns it over too much for my liking.


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[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Bearer may miss the rest of the regular season with a broken thumb, per the game write up in the Gazette

Very unfortunate.

The positive is Armoni is more than ready to play heavy minutes.

Chucky also gets a boost and perhaps moves in to a true hybrid G/F role. This will change Marko's minutes, too. That may actually be Chucky's most valuable role.

Bearer is a huge loss, though. Being almost mid-Jan ... probably done. Broken thumbs take time. He was great at all the stuff most don't see.

You'd have to assume that happened in practice Monday or Tuesday so they didn't have much time to get used to the fact he wouldn't be there gameplan-wise.

Dansecs is going to have to play some -- ready or not.

No team goes a full season injury-free. Just gotta move on and regroup. Some more live action will help Dansecs.

As IUPAlum said, Malik has been prone to fouling. That has to scale back.

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

Bearer may miss the rest of the regular season with a broken thumb, per the game write up in the Gazette

[Scrub]

Re: Iup basketball

Trust me, I know. I have a garbage collector on both of the teams I coach. I don't run much through the post but I get them to spots to rebound and get put backs. If they do their job, they will lead in scoring every game.

If you're garbage collector is leading the team in points every night, perhaps you should do a few more shooting drills in practice. ; )

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Valid but how many years did we wish we had that exact guy? He does some pretty remarkable stuff on put-backs ... a true garbage collector. And, he's a BIG-TIME rebounder this year.


They only have one set play they run to him ... and everybody has seen it on film 375 times already. All great teams have a garbage man. Somebody has to clean up the mess left behind.

Trust me, I know. I have a garbage collector on both of the teams I coach. I don't run much through the post but I get them to spots to rebound and get put backs. If they do their job, they will lead in scoring every game.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Pretty easy to be 7 for 7 when they were all dunks and put back lay ups! hahaha

Valid but how many years did we wish we had that exact guy? He does some pretty remarkable stuff on put-backs ... a true garbage collector. And, he's a BIG-TIME rebounder this year.


They only have one set play they run to him ... and everybody has seen it on film 375 times already. All great teams have a garbage man. Somebody has to clean up the mess left behind.

[ironmaniup]

Re: Iup basketball

Box Score gem:

Willem 14 points (7 for 7 from field) and 10 rebounds.

He doesn't get the pub as some of the others, but he's becoming the unsung hero of the team.

needs to work on his foul shooting though. but I agree, his play this year a big part of the success. compare this years team to the 2014/15 team with Daddy, and Hanner Hope they can keep it going.

[IUP24]

Pretty easy to be 7 for 7 when they were all dunks and put back lay ups! hahaha

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Box Score gem:

Willem 14 points (7 for 7 from field) and 10 rebounds.

He doesn't get the pub as some of the others, but he's becoming the unsung hero of the team.

Pretty easy to be 7 for 7 when they were all dunks and put back lay ups! hahaha

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Box Score gem:

Willem 14 points (7 for 7 from field) and 10 rebounds.

He doesn't get the pub as some of the others, but he's becoming the unsung hero of the team.