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IUP falls short in title game

2 min read

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – One of the best seasons in Indiana University men’s basketball history came to an end Saturday, when the Crimson Hawks fell to Florida Southern, 77-62, in the NCAA Division II National Championship at the Ford Center.

The Crimson Hawks finsihed with a 31-7 overall record, the second most wins in program history.

It also was the second time IUP reached the championship game, putting together a national finalist season in 2010.

Three players reached double-figures in scoring for the Crimson Hawks, with Devante Chance leading the way with 17. He also had eight rebounds five assists and two steals. Shawn Dyer finished with 16 points and eight rebounds and Daddy Ugbede added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench.

The Crimson Hawks ran into a hot-shooting Florida Southern team, as the Moccasins shot 50.9 percent from the field and made 13 three-pointers. They were led by Kevin Capers, who scored 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Florida Southern finished with a 36-1 overall record, ending the year with 25 straight victories.

IUP shot 31.1 percent from the floor, going 19 of 61 from the field and 8 of 29 from three-point range. The Crimson Hawks were successful at the free-throw line, going 16-for-19 (84.2 percent), and outrebounded Florida Southern, 42-30.

“My focus as I sit up here with these young men and it’s not on tonight’s loss but on the effort and commitment they gave to the program all year,” said IUP head coach Joe Lombardi about his five starters. “They gave in to the process, they gave love and commitment to each other … I’m proud of these guys and I couldn’t have expected any more out of them.”

Lombardi reached a milestone this season, becoming the fastest coach in school history – and second fastest in the PSAC – to reach 200 career victories. He’ll head into next season with a 204-77 (.726) record in nine seasons, three away from becoming the program’s all-time leader in career victories.

The Crimson Hawks have gone to seven straight NCAA tournaments under Lombardi’s direction, amassing a 16-7 (.696) record in the postseason during that span. IUP earned regional championships in 2010 and 2015 under Lombardi, reaching the national title game in both of those seasons.

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