PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It's been a rough few years for local college basketball, except for one place.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
The number one men's team in the nation.
It's the first time IUP has been ranked this high since the 1995, which is also the last time a team from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference was ranked number one. The Crimson Hawks were number one for 11 consecutive weeks during the 1994-95 season.
The 10-0 Hawks moved up after defending national champions Northwest Missouri State had its 21-game winning streak snapped. IUP advanced to the Final Four last season finishing 33-2.
Defense again is the calling card for former Pitt assistant and Kennedy Catholic graduate Joe Lombardi. IUP leads Division 2 in field goal percentage defense (35.2) and third nationally in scoring defense (57.6).
Back from a season-ending injury Shawndale Jones, from the Kiski School, leads IUP in scoring at 21 points, five rebounds and three assists a game. Erie Strong Vincent graduate Dave Morris has 29 made threes and scoring at 16.7 points a game. Tomiwa Sulalman is at 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds and Sharon's Ethan Porterfield is 11.4 points and 4.1 rebounds.
In his 17th season, Lombardi is 377-106 with 11 NCAA tournament appearances and six PSAC tournament titles, including last season.
The Crimson Hawks host Millersville Friday at 5p, their first game as the number one team in Division 2 in 27 years.
