Portal Season '24

[IUPalum]

Like how Goldcamp fell into Reilly's lap at GU

Reilly did a great job coaching that kid up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Reilly did a great job coaching that kid up.

Looking back that was a really fun time in the West. The coaches were all flamboyant ... had animosity toward one another and the core group was much younger. Add to it, the West was deep with really strong teams. The last time IUP went to the national title game, it didn't even win the conference or division.

The stretch of, say, 2012 to 2016, was just incredible to watch as a fan.

I can't speak for every program, but at IUP specifically, that stretch of years (my opinion) was the best run for having big, juiced-up crowds.

That was when Joe and Gary didn't like each other -- and Mercyhurst was emerging as a serious threat. Joe vs Reilly was always a show. And, of course, Joe vs Kevin Reynolds was always the most theatrical show of the year. No person EVER got the KCAC more fired up than Reynolds. Those were good times.

A few years ago when IUP went away from its (decades-long tradition) of playing Saturday night games, the KCAC lost a lot of its charm. It's just different playing at 3 p.m. I think when teams used to come in there on Saturday night, with the place buzzing (and half the building drunk) it was an intimidating proposition. You figure the average PSAC game is in front of about 200 fans. Then you'd come to the KCAC on a Saturday night and not only are you in this big, fancy arena, but you'd be heckled the whole warm-up, there'd be 3,000 people there (or more), etc.

Being honest, IUP Basketball, atmosphere-wise, has now taken a step toward becoming the dreadful Miller Stadium experience. The 3 p.m. crowds are much more like the football crowds -- much older and much, much quieter. I've heard a lot of theories and explanations on why they made the change. Coming from somebody (me) who has sat through more games in that building than I'd care to admit, I think the time shift was a terrible decision. IUP Football, despite its decades of success, has one of the worst home atmospheres you'll ever find. In fairness, it has improved (a bit) over the past several years.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Love the KCAC and there have been some big games with the crowd heavily involved, but I maintain it’s still loudest for the Heritage Conference championship games. It’s almost filled to capacity and the kids and parents are loud and involved. Somehow IUP needs to find a way to get some of those folks out for games. I’ve noticed various promotions for the local schools, which helps, but then they get in there and don’t know any of the players. Not the same as rooting for the kid you sit next to in biology class or the neighborhood kid you watched shooting hoops in the driveway as a child. The IUP students do pretty well, but they don’t always turn out depending on whatever else is going on. Overall I think it’s still a great atmosphere for D2 basketball and significantly better than most.

[boatcapt]

Looking back that was a really fun time in the West. The coaches were all flamboyant ... had animosity toward one another and the core group was much younger. Add to it, the West was deep with really strong teams. The last time IUP went to the national title game, it didn't even win the conference or division.

The stretch of, say, 2012 to 2016, was just incredible to watch as a fan.

I can't speak for every program, but at IUP specifically, that stretch of years (my opinion) was the best run for having big, juiced-up crowds.

That was when Joe and Gary didn't like each other -- and Mercyhurst was emerging as a serious threat. Joe vs Reilly was always a show. And, of course, Joe vs Kevin Reynolds was always the most theatrical show of the year. No person EVER got the KCAC more fired up than Reynolds. Those were good times.

A few years ago when IUP went away from its (decades-long tradition) of playing Saturday night games, the KCAC lost a lot of its charm. It's just different playing at 3 p.m. I think when teams used to come in there on Saturday night, with the place buzzing (and half the building drunk) it was an intimidating proposition. You figure the average PSAC game is in front of about 200 fans. Then you'd come to the KCAC on a Saturday night and not only are you in this big, fancy arena, but you'd be heckled the whole warm-up, there'd be 3,000 people there (or more), etc.

Being honest, IUP Basketball, atmosphere-wise, has now taken a step toward becoming the dreadful Miller Stadium experience. The 3 p.m. crowds are much more like the football crowds -- much older and much, much quieter. I've heard a lot of theories and explanations on why they made the change. Coming from somebody (me) who has sat through more games in that building than I'd care to admit, I think the time shift was a terrible decision. IUP Football, despite its decades of success, has one of the worst home atmospheres you'll ever find. In fairness, it has improved (a bit) over the past several years.

Don't know if it is a reason but older crowd equals more money to spend on admission and nachos and a beer or two during the game Don't know if this is the case at IUP, but most student tickets are either free or severally discounted. Students are also more likely to come through the turnstyle half in the bag and with a belly full of cheese burgers from the cafeteria or the local Micky D's. They ain't buying much in the venue.

So is it better for the teams bottom line to have 500 adults playing full boat and plunking down $40 bucks inside or having 2000 drunk frat boys getting in free and maybe buying one $9 beer?

[IUP24]

Love the KCAC and there have been some big games with the crowd heavily involved, but I maintain it’s still loudest for the Heritage Conference championship games. It’s almost filled to capacity and the kids and parents are loud and involved. Somehow IUP needs to find a way to get some of those folks out for games. I’ve noticed various promotions for the local schools, which helps, but then they get in there and don’t know any of the players. Not the same as rooting for the kid you sit next to in biology class or the neighborhood kid you watched shooting hoops in the driveway as a child. The IUP students do pretty well, but they don’t always turn out depending on whatever else is going on. Overall I think it’s still a great atmosphere for D2 basketball and significantly better than most.

If you extrapolate all of the "environments" in sports, I honestly believe the hardest venue or environment to walk into and perform well in is a high school gym that is filled to the gills and rocking for a big game. The acoustics with the low ceilings and squashed in walls and seating in those gyms just create loud environments even when they aren't "loud." When the entire school/town gets into it and they really start rolling, those places are really loud. And at 15-18 years old, you have no idea how teenagers will respond or react to those moments in a hostile atmosphere. Especially considering that most on the court aren't top end talent and are just "high school basketball players."

With tracks pushing seats back from the field at most high schools, crowds have next to no impact on high school football. And there aren't enough people to create tangible noise levels at high school games either. People talk about crowds impacting college football games at the FBS level, but the good teams all practice and prepare with silent counts and hand signals. Playing on the road may make things a little more difficult at that level, but those teams are mostly prepared and well coached. The crowd's impact is far less than people believe in those situations. Outside of Kansas City and Seattle, few NFL stadiums even have environments comparable to college venues. NBA arenas traditionally aren't as loud as what you see in college. Some college arenas are tough, but the college players are more mature and equipped to deal with playing on the road than they were at 15 years old to play a cross-town rival. You see crowds really get energized for playoff hockey games in the NHL, but the style and system deployed in certain spots in a game can intentionally take crowds out of games.

Just feel like your point about the Heritage Conference Championship holds up. I've been into so many loud places to watch a game. The only time you ever feel like your ears are ringing is leaving a sold out high school basketball game. And like I said, the talent and maturity is less at that level - so the impact can be far, far greater.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's June 19 ... and there are a lot of homeless former Atlantic Region basketball players.


It has to be getting uneasy. There's only so many spots and most rosters are full or very close to full.

I find it shocking a couple players in particular are still unsigned.

[bballfan03]

Lucarotti (GU) going to Tiffin... if he doesn't start there, he should just call it a career...

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Former Seton Hill PG Sean Dillon has signed with UPJ.

[Ship76]

Ship portal players moving on —Tyler Crespo - to Mansfield & Andrew Recchia to Flagler

[Ship69]

Ship portal players moving on —Tyler Crespo - to Mansfield & Andrew Recchia to Flagler

Glad they were able to find a slot.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Former Mansfield PG Idris Ali has signed with Lock Haven.

His brother, Saraj, has signed with Millersville.


Lock Haven has also added Wheeling transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. and Charlotte transfer Chris Cornish.

[Ship69]

Former Mansfield PG Idris Ali has signed with Lock Haven.

His brother, Saraj, has signed with Millersville.


Lock Haven has also added Wheeling transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. and Charlotte transfer Chris Cornish.

We'll certainly need a program to recognize most of the PSAC teams this coming season.

[bballfan03]

Former Mansfield PG Idris Ali has signed with Lock Haven.

His brother, Saraj, has signed with Millersville.


Lock Haven has also added Wheeling transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. and Charlotte transfer Chris Cornish.

I like that Lock Haven is becoming a regular competitor after being an exhibition game most of Gannons early years in the PSAC

[Ship69]

I like that Lock Haven is becoming a regular competitor after being an exhibition game most of Gannons early years in the PSAC

With their Ship alum coach, they've generally been a headache for the Raiders for several years now. And Ship has really laid some eggs against them. I don't think I'll ever forget one of the Jake Biss teams going something like 4-for-30 in three-pointers and missing a ton of free throws in an overtime loss at the Haven a couple of years back. Last season they just had a better team than Ship.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

For those keeping score at home ...

Kyle Whippen has signed with UT-Permian.


That's school No. 5

California (PA), Fairmont State, Kutztown, Shippensburg, UT-P


Dude's SWAG collection must be insane.