INDIANA, Pa. The American International College men's basketball team will face stiff competition this weekend at the Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) Classic hosted by defending Division II National Finalist Indiana University of Pennsylvania Friday and Saturday at the Kovalchick Convention Center and Athletic Complex.
"We feel that in order to be as good as we can be, we need to seek out and play the best competition we can. This tournament provides our program with that opportunity," said Head Men's Basketball Coach Andy Burkholder."We have a lot of new faces on the court for us this year and competition like this can only better us for the remainder of our schedule."
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SETTING THE SCENE: The Yellow Jackets (0-3, 0-3 NE-10) have had a slow start to the 2015-16 campaign, but an offensive explosion against Southern Connecticut Tuesday could help turn things around. Senior guard Cameron Dobbs (Albany, N.Y) hit five three's to finish with a season-high 32 points in his team's 107-94 loss to No. 7/10 SCSU.
ABOUT AIC: Through three games Dobbs has established himself as the number one scoring threat, averaging 21.0 points. Junior Juwan Moody (Pontiac, Mich.) and senior Trahmier Burrell (Albany, N.Y.) are also scoring in double figures with 13.0 and 12.3 respectively. One factor dooming AIC is their perimeter defense. The Jackets have allowed opponents 39-87 from beyond the arc, nearly a 45 percent clip, but have connected on 27-82 from long range themselves, nothing to slouch at.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN CATS: The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (3-2, 2-1 PSAC) squad comes in averaging 89.0 points helped by a mass quantity of shots from long range. The Mountain Cats have tallied 53 three's in five games led by A.J. Leahey's 17 trey's. AIC is allowing 13.0 three's-game while UPJ connects on 10.6 per contest. Leahey leads the Cats in scoring (19.6) followed closely by Nate Snodgrass (18.2). Four Cats are averaging double digit scoring.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON HAWKS: IUP (2-3, 1-3 PSAC), fresh off a run at the Division II National title, entered the season sixth nationally in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Preseason Poll. The Crimson Hawks enter Saturday's contest with the Yellow Jackets as a team receiving votes. IUP opens the Classic Friday with the University of the Sciences, a familiar East Region team that also made the Tournament in March and downed Saint Anselm in the opening round as the seven seed. Brondon Norfleet paces IUP with 18.8 points, while reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Freshman of the Week, Dante Lombardi, chips in 10.3 points. The Hawks best man on the glass comes off the bench as Jacobo Diaz snags 6.8 boards-game.
"We want our student athletes to have a great experience, and part of that experience is getting out to play some of the best competition we can. Pitt-Johnstown and IUP are storied programs, with proven coaches," said Burkholder."Both have past and recent success in their respective conference, as well as on a regional and national level. I have heard great things about their arena and the way they run this tournament, so we are excited to get there and compete."
