Mastodons Continue Homestand Against Panthers

PREGAME NOTES

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW Mastodon men's basketball team will look to extend its three-game winning streak on Saturday, when the squad plays host to the Panthers of Eastern Illinois in a 2 p.m. tip-off at the Gates Sports Center.

Opponent: Eastern Illinois Panthers (3-7)
When: Saturday, December 21 | 2 p.m. EST
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center (1,800)
Radio: WKJG 1380 AM The Fan | Kent Hormann, play-by-play; Brett Rump, analyst
Live Stats: IPFW Sidearm Live Stats
Live Video: IPFW All-Access

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Eastern Illinois brings a 3-7 overall record and a five-game losing streak into Fort Wayne for its final non-conference game of the 2013 calendar year. In their last game on Thursday evening at Wright State, the Panthers fell to the Raiders 70-43, and were out-scored 39-20 in the second half.

Sherman Blanford picked up a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double in the game, while Alex Austin scored 10. Chris Olivier - in his first action of the season - scored seven points, as the aforementioned trio scored 32 of the team's 43 points. Blanford and Josh Piper each dished out a team-best two assists, while Oliver picked up a pair of steals.

Reggie Smith is the team leader this season with 97 total points in eight games, an average of 12.1 per contest. Blanford - who scored 17 points earlier this season against the Mastodons - averages 9.2, while Austin puts in 8.9 tallies per contest. Two others, Dennis Green and Olivier, average 7.3 and 7.0 points per game, each. Blanford pulls down an average of 5.7 rebounds per game for the Panthers, who get out-rebounded by an average of 4.1 rebounds per contest.

MID-MAJOR RANKING

For the first time in program history, the IPFW men's basketball team has appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, sitting at 25th in the poll. In all one other Summit League school (North Dakota State) is in the top-25, and another IPFW future opponent (Eastern Kentucky) sits just ahead of IPFW in 24th.

FAST START

IPFW's 9-4 start this season is tied for the fifth-best 13-game start in program history, and tied for the best start in IPFW's NCAA Division I era.

BALANCING ACT

This season, IPFW has employed a balanced offensive attack that has seen eight different players lead the team in scoring, with seven players scoring at least 19 points in a game, and five of those reaching the 20-point plateau.

STARTING STRONG

IPFW head coach Tony Jasick has used the same starting lineup: Pierre Bland, Isaiah McCray, Joe Edwards, Michael Kibiloski, and Steve Forbes; for each of the first 13 games of this season, the longest season-opening stretch of games for the same starting five.

DRAFTED STAR

Former Mastodon standout Frank Gaines, was been selected with the first pick in the second round by the Maine Red Claws in the 2013 NBA Development League draft. In seven games with the Red Claws, Gaines has scored 113 points, averaging 16.1 points per game, which currently ranks second on his squad and 26th in the entire D-League. The Red Claws are 5-2 on the season, as Gaines has hit 47% of his three-point attempts, and 48% of his overall field goals this season.

IPFW vs OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE

IPFW has faced off against eight of the 12 teams currently in the Ohio Valley Conference, including 17 times against SIU Edwardsville, a team which IPFW holds a 9-8 advantage in the all-time series. This season IPFW will face or has faced four teams in the Ohio Valley Conference including Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, SIUE, and Tennessee Tech.

~ Feel the Rumble ~

Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics

Mastodons Continue Homestand Against Panthers

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