IUP Preview
Crimson Hawks play two on Saturday at Seton Hill
One was swept. The other won a pair of close games.
There are no easy wins these days against Seton Hill, and IUP knows that as well as any team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The teams meet Saturday afternoon in Greensburg, with the women tipping off at 1 p.m. followed by the men at 3.
Seton Hill swept the IUP women last year, 67-60 and 86-82 in overtime. The IUP men pulled out 57-54 and 75-71 victories.
The Griffins made the jump to NCAA Division II in 2008. IUP had its way with the Griffins on the men’s side, winning 18 of 20 matchups going into last year.
Last year, the Crimson Hawks pulled out a 57-54 win at home on Kymani Merraro’s 3-point field goal with one second to play, and Merraro, Christian Moore and Sarp Furton made five free throws in the final 16 seconds of a 75-71 win at Seton Hill.
Seton Hill is no longer a pushover floundering near the bottom of the PSAC West standings. The Griffins have been competitive under coach Ben Wilkins, who is 61-47 in his fourth season.
They enter Saturday at 13-7 overall and 7-5 in the PSAC, and they are 7-1 at home in their bandbox of a gymnasium.
Seton Hill is marred in a slump, losing 5 of 6 after a 12-2 start. The losses came against California (87-78), Clarion (87-85, 2OT), Gannon (88-59), Edinboro (81-72) and Pitt-Johnstown (97-88). The win came against Slippery Rock (86-62).
The Griffins are coming off the loss to Pitt-Johnstown. Leading scorer Kendrick Curtis (6-7 Jr. F, 16.4 ppg) did not play after seeing only 16 minutes in the loss to Edinboro in the previous game.
The starting five in his absence consisted of Edir Ortiz (6-9 RSo. F, 15.4), Rashaad Williams (6-1 Fr. G, 14.5), Camden Brewer (6-2 Jr. G, 10.6), Gabe Gillespie (6-6 Sr. F, 10.2) and Dean Simos (6-8 RFr. F, 3.5). Dimitrios Sklavenitis (6-3 Jr. G, 11.8) also has started.
Seton Hill averages 84.7 points scored and 76.7 allowed and shoots 48.4 percent overall and 37.5 from 3-point range.
IUP, coming off an 84-77 loss to California, averages 84.6 points scored and 73.4 allowed. The Hawks shoot 47.6 percent overall and 37.4 percent from 3.
IUP’s starting five consists of Dallis Dillard (6-3 RSr. G, 19.3), Moore (6-1 Sr. G, 17.6), Merraro (5-10 So. G, 13.8), Damir Brooks (6-6 RSr. F, 9.6) and Bautista Rodriguez (6-7 So. F, 5.9).
Coach Joe Lombardi is 444-141 in his 20th season at IUP.
On the women’s side, IUP rarely gets swept, but Seton Hill did it last year while spending most of the season atop the PSAC West standings on its way to a berth in the Atlantic Region tournament.
Seton Hill established a solid program under former coach Mark Kotarski, and coach Maeve Gallagher has taken the Griffins to the next level and is 52-26 in her third season.
The Griffins enter Saturday at 14-4 overall and 10-2 in PSAC. They are 6-1 at home.
They put together an 11-game winning streak before going 2-2 in their past four games with wins over Slippery Rock (97-65) and Pitt-Johnstown (86-70) and losses to Gannon (83-57) and Edinboro (80-65).
The starting five consists of Hallie Cowan (5-9 Sr. G 18.4), Helene Cowan (5-9 Sr. G, 17.8), Mia Kalich (5-11 Jr. F, 14.2), Hailee Ford (5-10 Jr. G/F, 12.1) and Abby Mankins (5-10 Sr. G/F, 5.4).
Seton Hill averages 84.7 points scored and 71.9 allowed and shoots 44.3 percent overall and 25.8 from 3-point range. The Griffins commit 19.7 turnovers per game and force 24.1.
IUP averages 80.3 points scored and 54.4 allowed and shoots 51.8 percent overall and 36.4 from 3-point range.
The Hawks are coming off Wednesday’s 97-66 win over California after losing for their first time this season in their previous outing at Clarion (78-77).
The starting five consists of Shaé Weaver (6-0 Sr. F, 15.6), Teresa Maggio (5-6 Jr. G, 13.4), Ellie Wilkerson (5-9 Sr. G/F, 10.2), Belle Bosch (6-0 Jr. F, 8.4) and Marin Miller (5-5 Sr. G, 8.3).
IUP coach Craig Carey is 79-27 in his fourth season.
See the PSAC men’s standings here: 2025-26 Men’s Basketball Standings - PSAC
See the PSAC women’s standings here: 2025-26 Women’s Basketball Standings - PSAC
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
MEN
California 84, IUP 77
Pitt-Johnstown 97, Seton Hill 88
Edinboro 82, Slippery Rock 75, OT
Gannon 91, Clarion 73
WOMEN
IUP 97, California 66
Edinboro 78, Slippery Rock 50
Gannon 83, Clarion 74
Seton Hill 86, Pitt-Johnstown 79
THURSDAY’S GAMES
MEN
Mansfield 66, Kutztown 60
Shepherd 65, Bloomsburg 54
West Chester 85, East Stroudsburg 82
Shippensburg 85, Lock Haven 69
WOMEN
Shepherd 56, Bloomsburg 51
East Stroudsburg 75, West Chester 57
Kutztown 90, Mansfield 66
Lock Haven 81, Shippensburg 50
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Women’s and men’s doubleheaders
at 1 and 3 p.m.
IUP at Seton Hill
Edinboro at Clarion
Gannon at Slippery Rock
Pitt-Johnstown at California
Bloomsburg at Shippensburg
Mansfield at West Chester
Millersville at East Stroudsburg
Shepherd at Lock Haven