Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

As far as opening nights go ....

Not bad. Not great.

The good:
The inside game is back. Cobo, Danielak and Cottrell dominated the glass. Danielak had 18 and some big treys. Cottrell looked like a guy who has been around the block. He had a big night at both ends. They just cleaned the glass against a much bigger team.

Malik Miller will be a complete star. There's no way Joe can keep his minutes down. He's special.

Glover and Spain were solid. Huff is a nice looking player. He's a big 6'5" ... has a muscular build. His minutes will increase soon.


The bad:
Very sloppy at times. Some much more than others. Dante had a very off night. He got 14 points but had 6 TO to 1 assist and shot a rough percentage. He's still trying to be Allen Iverson and playing too out of control.


In all reality, this is a team they should have blown out of the gym.

Lincoln has a nice looking team. They will get better as the year moves along. As for the comment about the second half ... IUP really slowed down and emptied the bench. But, they did look much better after the break.

The Lions had a tremendous amount of fouls. They really struggled with the ball movement. They went hack a shaq in the first half. They were very wreckless and out of control in the first half. I agree an exhibition would have helped a lot.

They will look better tomorrow night. The big guy just fouled out basically immediately. He got his third foul like 3 minutes in to game. He's big but pretty raw. IUP has really solid bigs -- two of which shoot the trey. They had trouble covering them on the perimeter.

Urbana beat UPJ. They were actually blowing them out for a bit.

All in all a good start. Fun team to watch. Lots of action and they play fast. They also got almost 1,600 in the Field House. Not bad. NOT great. It's still funny how 1,600 in the Field House is louder than 3,500 in the KCAC.

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

Following on live stats it looked like just about everybody was in double figures for IUP.

On a less positive note the Kevin Stallings era got off to a near disastrous start as Pitt needed 2 ot to beat Eastern Michigan 93-90

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Your big man fouled out in 6 minutes of play.

[NJLincolnLion]

Re: Iup basketball

Lincoln - 82
IUP- 101
FINAL

Lincoln lost the game in the 1st half (48-32) for the Crimson Hawks. The second half 53-50 IUP advantage. In hindsight I don't know why Lincoln didn't have any exhibition games and it certainly showed in their play. IUP preseason games against Syracuse and Villanova was very beneficial. Lincoln's big man Carl Allen only played six minutes in the game. I don't the rationale behind the lack of playing time when you are going against a team like IUP. Hats off to the Crimson Hawks who showed why they were rank #24 in the country.

Lincoln needs to carry over the second half play tomorrow night against Pitt-Johnston.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Opening Night in the Field House ... trip back in time.

From the IG it sounds like Dante will play.

I suspect a decent game tonight. Lincoln's pick in its coaches' poll was largely based on the unknown. It has some nice transfers on the roster from this new class. Also, the new coach factor is in play so there is no scouting.

No Web feed (usually) from Field House.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Two exhibitions later ... some observations:

* The full lineup was never on display. Spain missed the Syracuse game and Dante missed the Villanova game.

* The games are hard to take a whole lot out of in regards to the D2 translation. Against Syracuse the inside game is just eliminated. Nova is just on a different level.

* Some lineup notes: It appears based on the two exhibitions that Cottrell and Danielak are going to bring back the Daddy/Cottrell role. Their minutes were pretty even subbing in for each other.

* Dante had a tremendous game against Syracuse. He was very polished, poised and in control. He looks to have made a giant leap from last year. He is said to be '50/50' for this weekend due to a lingering knee issue.

* The bench isn't as deep as some may have thought. That's alarming. Two straight years of having a redshirt freshman leave the program has caught up (Tomer and Bonafacio). There are now four true freshman on the roster. Malik Miller appears to be the only going to play. Nkumsah and Milo will redshirt. The fourth, who appeared on the roster last week, will possibly dress and not redshirt?

* CJ leaving was a big loss for the team. This wasn't built to be a bang 'em style roster but CJ takes away that 'grinder' type post player and some needed muscle underneath. It's strange for a player to leave in camp however I doubt we'll ever learn anything more about it.

* Assuming all are healthy, the starting lineup appears to be Dante, Hutton, Glover, Cobo and Cottrell. Danielak and Spain will be the '6th man' and Miller and Huff will see time. Miller will see big minutes if Dante or any other guard is out. I would look at this more as a 'Starting 7' than a 'Starting 5' as the minutes are going to be pretty equal. Danielak and Cottrell will split and Spain will fill in for all three starting guards.

* The recurring theme year after year keeps seeming to be depth. A lot of things have happened. The Aussies were a bust. Manny Yarde 'transferred' (he would be a senior on this team), Bonafacio, Tomer, CJ. Things happen. The CJ departure, had it been known much earlier, probably would have meant Joe signed another experienced player and one less freshman. If Huff works out they should be deep enough. It's hard to tell if Bearer will be in the plans this year or not.

* On paper, Spain is the only departure after this year. That's pretty scary.

* I don't expect the growing pains this year. Hutton is really the only addition to the rotation. Danielak is new but he was here all last year and practiced with these guys for a whole year now.

* This stretch between now and XMAS is a big one. We all know nobody runs the West gauntlet undefeated so you have to account for at least 2 losses in West play. Before XMAS IUP has to face Bowie, Fairmont, the suddenly-hot Mansfield and others. This team can't be 6-5 again on Dec 18 and rely on a 14-game streak.

* It's way to early to say even if this team will be good, great, etc. I do think it could be Joe's most well-rounded lineup. He's got scorers every where and a legit center again to take out the trash. It's going to be an incredibly hard lineup to defend on the D2 level. Opposing bigs are going to need to cover the three point shot with Cobo and Danielak. It's going to be exciting.

[NJLincolnLion]

Re: Iup basketball

Hard to say. They have a new coach and many new players. They were picked near bottom in their coaches' poll but that doesn't mean much.

They will be athletic and have some nice size. That's about all I can tell you. Urbana, the following night, has played here the past couple years.

IUPbigINDIANS:

Good assessment and as we discussed, unlike passed Lincoln teams that were height challenged, the Lions have some front court presence to go along with quick guards. The presence D! transfers from Manhattan and Iona Colleges are going to benefit the Lions.

The CIAA North with Lincoln, Bowie State, and Virginia State are going to be all out wars!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Bowie is going to be a very good game. Nobody in attendance will ever forget last year's meeting. They are very athletic and big. They lost their big gun from a year ago (graduation) but on paper added some nice pieces.

This is FAR from a gimme non-conference game and is a BIG game regardless of what the coach-speak will say.

IUP and Bowie is always a tight game. If any of you have the chance to attend ... do it.

[boatcapt]

Re: Iup basketball

Wow ...........


Mansfield will lose but 50 to West Liberty this weekend but won at Duquesne.

Like I said the other day, that job is going to open soon.

WLU plays Cheyney and West Chester this coming weekend...not Mansfield.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Item of note .... Dante didn't play vs Nova.

I know he tweaked his knee at Syracuse. Probably just resting.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Wow ...........


Mansfield will lose but 50 to West Liberty this weekend but won at Duquesne.

Like I said the other day, that job is going to open soon.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Mansfield 79, Duquesne 74 - and no, that's not a misprint.

Shocking! The Dukes would be basement dwellers in the PSAC? Some of these seeming good jobs out there are fool's gold and a one way ticket to commit career suicide.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Iup basketball

The job I've always considered an option for him is at Duquesne. They are going to stink again this year (picked 13 out of 14 in Atlantic 10 Coaches' Poll).

That guy has been there several years now and isn't making any headway. This past year I think he just threw up a Hail Mary with taking all these grad transfers.


BUT ... Throw in the Dante factor and Joe's age (not too old but by no means young) ... I can't see him leaving. It would also (very likely) be for a total rebuild (Duquesne or similar).

Joe's the big fish in town now. He's paid very well for Indiana standards and I think he likes the small-town celebrity status. He plays the part well.

His name will keep making lists. That's a given. But, guys like him and Crutch have it made where they are now.

IUP is always going to win in basketball. It has the money, facilities, a big campus full of attractive co-eds, high coaching salary (to always attract great candidates), etc. WL will be interesting when Crutch retires. That's not exactly an easy place to sell to recruits if the winning goes away.

Duquesne, Robert Morris .. those types ... he'd be nuts to take one of those jobs. You're basically set up to fail. That's why I kept saying Toole should have got out of dodge while he was hot. One of the Syracuse players even said after the game IUP would beat a ton of mid-major teams. I believe that statement.

I know IUP has tried to play Duquesne in hoops for years with no luck. Shocker: The Dukes are playing Mansfield instead. IUP is a better job than Duquesne in my opinion (and on many years perhaps a better team).

Could he coach at the next level? Not a doubt in my mind.

Mansfield 79, Duquesne 74 - and no, that's not a misprint.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Nova was going to be a smackdown. They run. Cuse slow style can keep a good team like IUP in game.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Men not nearly as competitive today against the defending champs. Nova 94-49. Ouch

Good news is that Spain looked to be back in action after the injury.