The Game Stories
} This marks the final game of a very challenging three-game stretch of road games against the top three teams in the PSAC West.  After playing at Gannon on Wednesday and coming away with a 67-64 win, the Fighting Scots fell at Slippery Rock on Saturday, 70-60.  Now they head to league-leading Indiana(Pa.) on Wednesday.  Those three teams have a combined record of 56-15.  Edinboro then ends the regular season with back-to-back home games against Clarion and Mercyhurst.  The third and fourth seeds will host first round games on March 2.  Edinboro gained a huge tiebreaker advantage with last Wednesday's upset at 17th-ranked Gannon.  The Fighting Scots now own wins over both Gannon and Slippery Rock.  Mercyhurst gained a key win of its own with Saturday's triumph over Indiana(Pa.)

} The regular season is winding down and Edinboro (15-8) is in a battle with Mercyhurst and California(Pa.) for the fourth seed in the PSAC?West and home game in the first round of the PSAC?Tournament.  The Fighting Scots are currently tied with Mercyhurst at 11-8 with three games to play, with the two meeting in the final game of the regular season on February 27.  Cal is two games back at 9-10.     

} Edinboro has qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2008-09.  The three-year drought had been the longest in Greg Walcavich's 24-year tenure as head coach. 

} Playing without leading scorer and rebounder Bryan Theriot, Edinboro rallied to send the first meeting into overtime at McComb Fieldhouse on January 23.  The Crimson Hawks, ranked ninth in Division II at the time, dominated the overtime period to claim an 86-75 victory.

} Head coach Greg Walcavich is in his 24th season in charge of the Fighting Scots, showing a 427-249 record.  Including stints at Birmingham Southern and West Virginia Wesleyan he is 581-312 overall as he is in his 31st season as a head coach.
} Indiana(Pa.) comes in with a 19-4 overall record and is 15-5 in league play, and was ranked 11th last week.  That has the Crimson Hawks one game ahead of Gannon and Slippery Rock for first place in the PSAC West with three games to play.  IUP comes off a 57-48 loss at Mercyhurst on Saturday.  The Crimson Hawks have held their last seven oponents to less than 60 points and lead the PSAC?in scoring defense at 57.1 ppg.  Edinboro was the last team to reach 60 points when the Scots scored 75 in the overtime loss.  That also represented the most points allowed this year.
 
Scouting #11 Indiana(Pa.)
} The preseason favorites in the PSAC West, the Crimson Hawks have not disappointed.  They come in with a 15-4 record overall and are 15-4 in the PSAC West, with the four losses by a combined 17 points.  IUP showcases the stingiest defense in the PSAC, allowing just 57.1 ppg.  The Crimson Hawks are also third in field goal percentage defense at 39.1 percent, and are third in rebounding margin at plus 2.8.  Head coach Joe Lombardi has made ample use of transfers since resurrecting the IUP program when he arrived in 2006-07.  This year's squad is no exception.  Leading scorer (13.5 ppg.) and rebounder (5.9 rpg.) Mathis Keita played at Gonzaga a year ago.  The 6'5” junior hails from France and played in 39 games for the Bulldogs his first two years.  Scooter Renkin is the second of three double-figure scorers and one of five players with 20-or-more three-pointers.  A 6'4” senior who played his freshman season at James Madison, Renkin averages 11.3 ppg. and 4.3 rpg.  He has made 29 three-pointers in 76 attempts.  Marcel Souberbielle, a 6'8” junior from Uruguay, adds 10.3 ppg. and 4.0 rpg.  Other Crimson Hawks to watch include Anthony Wells (9.9 ppg.), a 6'1” senior who played two years at Cleveland State, Devante Chance (7.7 ppg., 84 asts.), a 5'10” sophomore, and Rhode Island transfer Blake Vedder (4.5 ppg.), the tallest player in the PSAC at 7'3”.   Six-foot-nine Josh Weigand (5.0 ppg., 3.5 rpg.) and 6'8” Danny Ayebo (4.8 ppg., 3.4 rpg.) provide quality depth up front.  
 
The Edinboro-Indiana(Pa.) Series
 } IUP leads 91-71
This marks the 163rd meeting between Edinboro and Indiana(Pa.).  The Crimson Hawks have won the last eight meetings, including an 86-75 win in overtime in January, with Edinboro last prevailing in the first meeting of the 2008-09 campaign, 83-78 at McComb Fieldhouse.  Prior to the seven-game skid Edinboro had won the previous eight contests against IUP.
 
The Last Meeting
 } January 23, 2013 --  Indiana(Pa.) 86, Edinboro 75  ot
The Fighting Scots rallied from an 18-point second half deficit to send the game into overtime.   IUP still led by 11 points with 3:25 to play at 71-60, but Edinboro would hold the Crimson Hawks to just one basket the rest of regulation.   That basket was by Mathis Keita with 1:16 to play to make it 73-68, but Jamal Bailey scored on a layup with 58 seconds to play.  IUP's Anthony Wells missed a layup with 27 seconds, and Jay Fletcher clutched the rebound, with Edinboro calling timeout with 21.7 seconds to play.  Fletcher capped an incredible second half as his 3-pointer from the top of the key as he was fading away hit nothing but net, and with 7.5 seconds left the contest was tied at 73-73.  It was Fletcher's career-best eighth 3-pointer of the game, and seventh in the second half.  IUP would control the overtime period, however, outscoring the Fighting Scots, 13-2, including the final nine points of the game.  Edinboro was just 1-for-7 from the floor in OT.   The loss spoiled a brilliant effort by Fletcher. The senior guard matched his career-high with 30 points.  He scored 25 of those points in the second half, making seven 3-pointers, including five straight attempts at one point.  He ended the night making 10 of 19 field goals, including 8 of 15 3-pointers, and 2 of 2 at the line.  He added five rebounds and four assists.  Backcourt mate Isaiah Prince turned in a stellar performance, as well, with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.  IUP had five players in double figures, led by Keita who had 21 points and a team-high nine rebounds.  Wells totaled 16 points, with Danny Ayebo showing 13 points and seven rebounds and Josh Weigand 13 points.  Marcel Souberbielle added 12 points. 
 
The Coaches
} Greg Walcavich, Edinboro -- is in his 24th season at the helm of the Fighting Scots and his 31st overall as a head coach.  He has a 427-249 record at Edinboro and is 581-312 overall.  Walcavich has also previously served as the head coach at Birmingham Southern and West Virginia Wesleyan. (For an indepth bio see page 10)

} Joe Lombardi, IUP  -- the former Pittsburgh assistant has returned the IUP program to Division II prominence.  He took over in 2006-07 with the program under NCAA probation and has led the Crimson Hawks to a 142-63  record during his seven seasons.  His finest season occurred in 2009-10, as the Crimson Hawks came within one win of the NCAA Division II national championship.  They won the Atlantic Region title to advance to the Elite Eight, then defeated Valdosta State and St. Cloud State before losing to Cal Poly Pomona in the championship game.  The 2009-10 IUP squad finished at 33-3 and was also the PSAC champion.  Lombardi was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year and was selected the Basketball Times Division II National Coach of the Year.  The next year the Crimson Hawks went 26-6, and a year ago their 23-6 finish marked Lombardi's fourth 20-win campaign.  IUP won its third consecutive PSAC regular season title and appeared in the NCAA tournament for a fourth straight season in 2011-12.
 
The Last Time Out
} Slippery Rock 70, Edinboro 60 -- Slippery Rock used a 9-2 run to end the first half and 11-4 to start the second half to pull away for the win.  The Fighting Scots trailed by just two points at 29-27 late in the half, but found themselves behind 49-33 early in the second half.  Edinboro made several runs at The Rock, but were unable to pull closer than nine points.  The last surge came at the 3:48 mark, as the Scots capped a run of seven straight points to make it 64-55.  SRU responded with five straight points to to end the threat.  Jay Fletcher led four players in double figures with 13 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists.  Isaiah Prince and Will Marrow added 11 points, with Xavier Churnac finishing the day with 10 markers.  Leading scorer Bryan Theriot made just 1 of 10 shots and was held to seven points, the first time he failed to score in double figures this year.         

} Mercyhurst 57, Indiana(Pa.) 48  -- The Lakers upset the 11th-ranked Crimson Hawks thanks to a strong defensive effort.  Mercyhurst held IUP to a seaon-low point total, forced 19 turnovers, and limited IUP to 36.8 percent shooting from the floor.  An 11-0 Mercyhurst run turned an eight-point deficit into a lead which the Lakers would never relinquish.  Mathis Keita was the lone Crimson Hawk in double figures, finishing with 12 points.    
 
On the Radio, TV
 } WFSE FM?88.9 broadcasts most Edinboro basketball games, including the Indiana(Pa.) game.  In addition, ETV, Edinboro's student-run television station, will stream most home games live.  Go to www.edinboro.tv to view the game.  Live stats are available for home games on Edinboro's website atwww.gofightingscots.com.