The IUP Crimson Hawks men’s basketball team prevailed in the PSAC championship game, defeating Millersville, 63-52, to win its third straight conference championship.
Here’s Jack Benedict’s recap on U92.5 FM.
IUP jumped out to a 35-18 first-half lead, allowing the Crimson Hawks to survive a 34-28 Millersville advantage in the second half.
Coach Joe Lombardi says IUP’s greatest weapon isn’t offense or defense. It’s love.
Lombardi says that for IUP, it’s all about the journey, and IUP has been playing tremendous defense in recent weeks and that wins championships.
Guard Dave Morris led IUP with 19 points after hitting 5 of 9 shots from 3-point territory. Ethan Porterfield scored 16 for the Crimson Hawks.
Morris says the team had had its share of adversity to overcome.
Porterfield, the PSAC Tournament MVP, says the Crimson Hawks immediately turned their focus on the NCAA tournament after winning the PSAC.
The road marches on for the IUP men. Things got even better for IUP after winning the PSAC tournament, as the Crimson Hawks learned later that they will be the top seed and host the Atlantic Regional starting this weekend at the KCAC.
It’s the third time in the last four years that IUP has earned the top seed. They’ll play Saturday against number eight seed Fayetteville State (from North Carolina), the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion.
The Broncos and IUP have played three common opponents. Fayetteville State has beaten Shepherd by one point (IUP beat Shepherd by 19). They lost to Mercyhurst by 17 (IUP beat the Lakers by 3 and by 9 in two games). And Fayetteville State beat Virginia State in their conference tournament, by 12. (IUP beat Virginia State by 52 in November).
The other first round matchups this Saturday will be number two seed West Liberty against West Virginia State; Number three Cal U versus number six Fairmont State; and number four Mercyhurst against number five Millersville.
The Atlantic Region championship will be Tuesday, March 15th.
