Iup basketball

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

Good game pretty much the whole way. That's gonna be a tough one for IUP

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Ferris State lost to No. 2 Michigan State, 80-72.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The only thing I can come up with is he didn't want any game film out prior to the Evansville trip. I'd assume it will eventually come out they held some joint practices with somebody.

The killer is, while these games are nice, ... come home 0-2 and you likely eliminate the chance of hosting before anybody else in the Atlantic even plays. I guess if you get invited you can't say no. I'm hoping for a split (at minimum).

BTW, the Ferris vs Michigan State game is on the Big 10 Network tonight at 8 p.m.

It's always interesting to me to see an elite D2 big take on high-end D1 bigs.

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

Ferris State was selected today as the preseason favorite in the GLIAC (coaches' poll).

Hankins, their star 6'10" center, was picked preseason POY.

Ferris State is playing at preseason No. 2 Michigan State tomorrow night.


Both Findlay and Ferris getting big tune-ups .... making me a little nervous.

I am surprised that Joe didn't land a D1 exhibition for this team given that he's not shying away from acknowledging he expects them to be pretty darn good. I understand getting one of these games isn't as simple as wanting to play one but with his connections you'd have thought he could've talked somebody into it.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Ferris State was selected today as the preseason favorite in the GLIAC (coaches' poll).

Hankins, their star 6'10" center, was picked preseason POY.

Ferris State is playing at preseason No. 2 Michigan State tomorrow night.


Both Findlay and Ferris getting big tune-ups .... making me a little nervous.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Findlay just beat Toledo, 89-86. The Oilers hit 13 treys in the win.

Interesting... competition is good.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Findlay just beat Toledo, 89-86. The Oilers hit 13 treys in the win.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The Findlay/Toledo exhibition is tonight at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on a live feed (if anybody wants a look at IUP's first opponent).

Findlay was a unanimous choice as No. 1 in the GMAC coaches' poll.

Hopefully IUP is having a 'practice' game against somebody prior to the opening game. I know last year they practiced with Davis and Elkins. St. Francis would be a logical choice. Lot of talent but a lot of new faces to blend in that rough opening weekend.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

There was a late addition to the roster. Dylan Benton is a freshman (walk-on) ... 6'5" SF/G from Bangor (PA) High School. It looks like he had a nice high school career.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

There are certainly some big boys on that roster. Four players listed at 6'9" and several more not much shorter.

There are three (high school recruited) freshmen on the roster along with (13) transfers.

The two players KR landed from Harford were very coveted. Aaron McDonald had offers from just about everybody. He's going to be a handful. The other was Micah Till (6'7", 250). He's a house under the basket. Tough kid.

It's a deep group, for sure. We'll have to wait and see if they can play together as a team. They are going to be nasty under the basket.

SRU has a real interesting opening weekend down at Glenville State. They open with the host and then play West Virginia Wesleyan the following day. The Rock also scheduled D3 Carlow and Ohio University (Eastern) again ... no comment on those two. It's also interesting the IUP/SRU rivalry -- typically huge gate draws for both schools -- will play both games on week nights this year (at IUP on a Monday night over break and at SRU on a Wednesday night). SRU also hosts Shippensburg and Kutztown on a back-to-back day weekend.


Side note: Harford CC in Maryland has become a breeding ground for the PSAC. Recall that's where Joe found not only Tevin Hanner but also Brandon Spain. One of this year's recruits, Dom Keyes, was on that Harford team with McDonald and Till last year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

We'll see what they have real quick ... Rock gets Sleva in Game 3.

This is Skorvanko's third school in three years.

KR is a good coach. The challenge with taking 10 transfers a year is keeping them all happy. Not easy.

Re: Iup basketball

After seeing the slippery rock roster I would give them second in a preseason poll. Very big team with a lot more depth. I was wondering why Ryan skorvanko wasn't listed on the west chester roster. He transferred to the rock.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Findlay is playing Toledo in an exhibition on Oct 24.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

The Nov. 18 men's and women's doubleheader against Lock Haven is being played at Memorial Field House.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Findlay and Ferris State right out of the chute, then Virginia State and Bowie State out of the CIAA, then capped off with Fairmont State and Urbana from the MEC? Not to mention a usually decent USciences team? Killer would be an understatement. If IUP can go at least 4-3 through that gauntlet, then they'll have a pretty good shot at being among the contenders in the region (it also doesn't hurt that Shippensburg isn't on IUP's crossover schedule this season).


It is a killer lineup. The positive is Findlay and Ferris State are neutral court games. IUP dodged a bullet by making the trip to Bowie over Thanksgiving. That gym is very difficult to play in as the road team (perhaps the toughest in D2). Virginia State and Fairmont State play at the KCAC. Urbana and The Sciences are also at the KCAC. The Sciences have been down for the past couple years and Urbana has never really given IUP a challenge the past 4-5 years of them coming here.

Joe likes the big schedule. Give him credit. Look what Joe's taking on compared to most of the the other contenders. Not even close. Ship put together a weak schedule. West Liberty has a weak non-conference schedule. Wheeling Jesuit is playing some Gannon-types but nothing daunting. Fairmont is playing IUP and Findlay -- two big non-conference opponents.

The downside of him doing this yearly is IUP takes some losses and doesn't get to host the Regional. The plus side is his teams seem to really benefit from it come JAN-FEB as two title game appearances this decade attest.

IUP has a big team this year. They know it. If not ... not even Joe would have signed up for this schedule. It would be great to win both in Evansville but I think most would be happy with a split.

p.s. It doesn't hurt Ship, either.