The IUP men's basketball program is all set to host the Kutztown Golden Bears on Tuesday, December 17 at 5:00 p.m. at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Center in Indiana, Pa. This highly anticipated game brings together two teams with contrasting records and performances. IUP, with a 5-5 overall record and 2-2 in the PSAC, is looking to continue their momentum. On the other hand, Kutztown, with a 3-6 overall record and 0-3 in the PSAC, is aiming to turn their season around.

Game Highlights and Team Statistics

IUP's Performance

The Hawks have been showing great form this season. They are averaging 73.3 points per game, with Damir Brooks leading the way with a shooting percentage of.587 from the field. Ian Herring is also contributing significantly, shooting.517 from the field. Kymani Merraro is solid from the free throw line, shooting.767 from 60 attempts.Consistent starters like Moore, Merraro, Tyler Grove, and Brooks have been key to IUP's success. Moore ranks second in the PSAC in minutes per game with 35.4 MPG, while Merraro ranks seventh with 33.3 MPG and Brooks wraps up the top 20 with 30.5 MPG.Sophomore Sarp Furton has started eight games this season, averaging 28.5 minutes per game. In the past three games, he has grabbed 11 rebounds and four steals. Freshman Tyler Grove has started all 10 games and is averaging 30.2 minutes per game. He has shot.390 from the field and.264 beyond the arc, grabbing 27 defensive rebounds and averaging 4.9 RPG.Freshman Ian Herring is making an impact as well, posting at least one steal in each of the past five games and totaling eight of his 14 steals in the past three games.

Kutztown's Performance

The Golden Bears have had a mixed season so far. Their overall record is 3-6 and 0-3 in the PSAC. Senior Jalen Bryant is their lead scorer, just surpassing 1,000 career points. He is averaging 21.8 PPG, shooting.393 from the field,.358 beyond the arc, and.912 from the free throw line. He also leads the team with 16 steals, marking four in two games this season.Another top scorer for Kutztown is Jaiden McGhee who ranks 17th in the PSAC averaging 14.4 PPG.

Series History

This will be the 29th overall matchup between IUP and Kutztown, and IUP holds a 21-7 advantage with a current five-game win streak against the Golden Bears. The last time they met was in December 2022, with the Hawks winning 83-72 at home. Damir Brooks played a crucial role in that game, scoring 13 points with 9 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Defensive Standouts

In terms of blocks, Brooks leads the team with 10, followed by Furton with 5, Grove with 4, Triggs with 3, Herring with 2, and Moore with 2.For steals, Moore tops the list with 17, followed by Brooks with 12, Herring with 10, Merraro with 12, Furton with 8, Grove with 4, and Triggs with 4.

Coach Lombardi's Legacy

Now in his 43rd overall season as a college coach and 19th at the helm of the Crimson Hawks, Joe Lombardi has been a driving force in elevating the IUP men's basketball program. He has 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven PSAC tournament titles, three Atlantic Region Championships, and two Division II National Championship Game appearances to his name. He is one of the four coaches in PSAC men's basketball history to reach 400 career wins and ranks third on the conference's all-time wins list. Lombardi also ranks third among NCAA DII active head coaches in winning percentage with at least 10 years of experience and is in the top 20 among all-time among all NCAA divisions in winning percentage with at least 10 years of experience.Follow IUP Athletics for up-to-date information and follow IUP men's basketball on X (Twitter) @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_MBB.