Thursday, February 6
Brookings, S.D.
8 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
South Dakota State
Photo by: Lucas Carter
Men's Basketball Hits the Road for Second Half of League Schedule
2/5/2014 4:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PREGAME NOTES (.pdf)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW Mastodons open up the second half of the conference season on Thursday evening, when the squad travels to Brookings, S.D. to take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
Opponent: South Dakota State (12-10, 4-3 Summit League)
When: Thursday, February 6 | 8 p.m. EST
Where: Brookings, S.D. | Frost Arena
Radio: WKJG 1380 AM The Fan | Mike Maahs, play-by-play
Live Stats: South Dakota State Live Stats
Live Video: Jackrabbit Extra
QUICK HITTERS
The most recent game, a 70-68 win at South Dakota, the team was led by Summit League Player of the Week Jordan Dykstra who had a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. Brayden Carlson scored a game-high 22 points, while Jake Bittle and Marcus Heemstra each scored 10.
South Dakota State has four players averaging double-figure point totals, and are led by Dykstra and Carlson who average 16.6 and 15.8 points per game, respectively. Cody Larson averages 13.3 points, while Chad White puts in 10.1 points per contest. Jake Bittle is nearly two points off of the double-figure pace averaging 7.9.
Dykstra averages 7.8 rebounds per game to lead the team, with Larson just behind at 7.0 boards per contest for the Jackrabbits, who out-rebound their opponents by an average of 2.9 rebounds per game. Carlson has dished out 60 assists and 30 steals to lead the team, while Larson leads the team with 26 blocked shots.
Luis Jacobo tied a season-high with 24 points, as the 'Dons continued their best start to a season in the team's NCAA Division I era, and the fourth-best overall. Steve Forbes scored 16, while Mo Evans and Joe Reed each added 11 points. IPFW out-rebounded South Dakota State 36-to-29, as three players - Pierre Bland, Forbes, and Reed - each pulled down five boards.
IPFW held a 42-to-16 advantage in points in the paint, while the Mastodon reserves out-scored their South Dakota State counterparts 24-to-9. Bland and Isaiah McCray each dished out four assists, while Evans had a trio of steals.
The win for IPFW snapped an eight-game SDSU win streak in the all-time series between the schools, while capping a Jackrabbit five-game win streak. The win also gives IPFW its third win streak of four games or more this year.
South Dakota State came out firing, scoring five points on its first two possessions of the game; however, the Mastodons answered back with eight consecutive points to take an 8-5 lead on a three-pointer by Jacobo. The Jackrabbits climbed to within one, but would not be able to take back their lead in the first half.
After SDSU cut the gap to one, IPFW used a 9-2 run to take to an eight-point lead, the Mastodons' largest lead of the half. The visitors kept chipping away at the IPFW advantage, and eventually tied the game at 42 with 1:20 to play, but a Jacobo lay-in with 25 seconds left sent the Mastodons into the locker room with a 44-42 lead.
The Mastodons got a lay-in from Forbes and a three-pointer by Kibiloski to score the first five points of the second half, charging to a 49-42 lead just over a minute into the second stanza. The Jackrabbits answered with a 10-0 run, taking a three-point lead three and a half minutes into the final half - the team's first lead since the early portions of the game.
The lead changed hands five times in the next three minutes. South Dakota State held a one-point, 56-55 lead with 13:12 left in the game before the Mastodons ran off 11 consecutive points, capped by a Forbes tip-in, pushing the 'Dons to a 64-56 lead with eight and a half minutes to play.
The Mastodon lead never reached double-digits; however, the Jackrabbits were never able to push their deficit below four points. IPFW iced the game by hitting 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute and a half of the contest to secure the seven-point victory.
IPFW was 30-of-63 from the field (47.6%), and 8-of-29 from long range (27.6%). The three-point shooting was the team's lowest percentage since November 24 against Kennesaw State where the team hit just 3-of-11.
GOOD AMONG INDIANA
IPFW's 18-6 record stands as the most wins in the state among NCAA Division I programs, and second in winning percentage. IPFW is one win ahead of Indiana State with 17 wins, and trail just the Sycamores (17-5) in win percentage. Of the 10 NCAA Division I teams in the state, seven have a winning record with an overall state winning percentage of .529 (119-106).
SHOOTING FOR THE BEST
IPFW currently ranks sixth in the country in field goal percentage, and eighth in three-point field goal percentage. The Mastodons are one of three teams in the country to be ranked in the top-10 in both of those categories, joining Gonzaga who is ranked third in both and Creighton who ranks ninth in field goal percentage and leads the country in three-point field goal percentage. Additionally, IPFW ranks 23rd in the country in three-point makes on the year. Three others - Creighton, Iona, and Duke, have more makes with a better percentage. Creighton currently leads the country in both three-point field goal percentage and makes, while Duke ranks sixth in percentage and fifth in makes, and Iona seventh in percentage and fourth in makes.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The IPFW Mastodons open up the second half of the conference season on Thursday evening, when the squad travels to Brookings, S.D. to take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.
Opponent: South Dakota State (12-10, 4-3 Summit League)
When: Thursday, February 6 | 8 p.m. EST
Where: Brookings, S.D. | Frost Arena
Radio: WKJG 1380 AM The Fan | Mike Maahs, play-by-play
Live Stats: South Dakota State Live Stats
Live Video: Jackrabbit Extra
QUICK HITTERS
• IPFW's 18-6 start is tied for the second-best 24-game start in program history, and the best start in IPFW's NCAA Division I era (2001-02 to present)
• IPFW ranks 6th in NCAA Division I in field goal percentage according to the NCAA, while Steve Forbes is second in the county in individual field goal percentage by the ESPN statistical rankings (he is 11 field goal makes shy of qualifying for the NCAA rankings).
• IPFW is one of three programs in NCAA Division I (along with Gonzaga and Creighton) to be ranked in the top-10 in both field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
• IPFW's 20-of-21 free throw shooting game against North Dakota State stands as the 20th-best single-game shooting performance in NCAA Division I this season.
• IPFW's current RPI of 129 is the second-lowest in program history, behind only the 128 from two weeks ago. Coming into the season, the best season-ending RPI was 180 in 2010-11.
• IPFW head coach Tony Jasick, now 45-42 in his career, stands in sole possession of fourth place in career coaching wins and is one of two coaches in program history to have a career record of .500 or better.
• Through 24 games of the season, IPFW has trailed for just three hours, four minutes, and 41 seconds, while leading for 12 hours, two minutes, and 27 seconds.
• IPFW's 18-6 record stands as the most wins in the state among NCAA Division I programs, and second in winning percentage. IPFW is just ahead of Indiana St. with 17 wins, and trail just the Sycamores (17-5) in win percentage. Of the 10 NCAA Division I teams in the state, seven have a winning record with an overall winning percentage of .529 (119-106).
• IPFW finished the month of January with a 7-1 record, the best record for the month in program history, better than the previous top mark of 8-2 in 1991-92.
SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS
South Dakota State comes into the second half of the league standings riding a two-game win streak with tight wins over South Dakota and Denver in its last two contests.The most recent game, a 70-68 win at South Dakota, the team was led by Summit League Player of the Week Jordan Dykstra who had a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. Brayden Carlson scored a game-high 22 points, while Jake Bittle and Marcus Heemstra each scored 10.
South Dakota State has four players averaging double-figure point totals, and are led by Dykstra and Carlson who average 16.6 and 15.8 points per game, respectively. Cody Larson averages 13.3 points, while Chad White puts in 10.1 points per contest. Jake Bittle is nearly two points off of the double-figure pace averaging 7.9.
Dykstra averages 7.8 rebounds per game to lead the team, with Larson just behind at 7.0 boards per contest for the Jackrabbits, who out-rebound their opponents by an average of 2.9 rebounds per game. Carlson has dished out 60 assists and 30 steals to lead the team, while Larson leads the team with 26 blocked shots.
MID-MAJOR RANKING
The IPFW men's basketball team has reached its highest-ever ranking in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25, sitting at 19th overall. The Mastodons have been ranked inside of the top-25 five weeks prior to this weeks' poll, and previously sat at 21st in the poll. IPFW made its top-25 debut this season on December 9, and has been in the top-25 every week since.
FAST START
IPFW's 18-6 start this season is tied for the second-best 24-game start in program history, and is the best start in IPFW's NCAA Division I era.
A WINNING PACE
IPFW's 18 wins this season stand tied for the fifth most wins in a single-season in program history. The school record for wins is 23, set in 1992-93 by the squad that advanced to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Below are the top five highest win totals in program history.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
This season the Mastodons have earned three Summit League Player of the Week honors, tying the record for most POW honors in a season for the program. Luis Jacobo earned the team's first honor this season on November 18, before earning his second honor this season on January 13. On January 27, Pierre Bland earned the honor after his near-triple-double against IUPUI. The 2010-11 squad saw Deilvez Yearby earn the honor three times (November 23, December 21, and January 19).
LAST TIME AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
The IPFW Mastodons improved to 14-5 overall and 2-0 in the Summit League, as the squad defeated the defending Summit League Champions, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, by an 82-75 score on Saturday night.Luis Jacobo tied a season-high with 24 points, as the 'Dons continued their best start to a season in the team's NCAA Division I era, and the fourth-best overall. Steve Forbes scored 16, while Mo Evans and Joe Reed each added 11 points. IPFW out-rebounded South Dakota State 36-to-29, as three players - Pierre Bland, Forbes, and Reed - each pulled down five boards.
IPFW held a 42-to-16 advantage in points in the paint, while the Mastodon reserves out-scored their South Dakota State counterparts 24-to-9. Bland and Isaiah McCray each dished out four assists, while Evans had a trio of steals.
The win for IPFW snapped an eight-game SDSU win streak in the all-time series between the schools, while capping a Jackrabbit five-game win streak. The win also gives IPFW its third win streak of four games or more this year.
South Dakota State came out firing, scoring five points on its first two possessions of the game; however, the Mastodons answered back with eight consecutive points to take an 8-5 lead on a three-pointer by Jacobo. The Jackrabbits climbed to within one, but would not be able to take back their lead in the first half.
After SDSU cut the gap to one, IPFW used a 9-2 run to take to an eight-point lead, the Mastodons' largest lead of the half. The visitors kept chipping away at the IPFW advantage, and eventually tied the game at 42 with 1:20 to play, but a Jacobo lay-in with 25 seconds left sent the Mastodons into the locker room with a 44-42 lead.
The Mastodons got a lay-in from Forbes and a three-pointer by Kibiloski to score the first five points of the second half, charging to a 49-42 lead just over a minute into the second stanza. The Jackrabbits answered with a 10-0 run, taking a three-point lead three and a half minutes into the final half - the team's first lead since the early portions of the game.
The lead changed hands five times in the next three minutes. South Dakota State held a one-point, 56-55 lead with 13:12 left in the game before the Mastodons ran off 11 consecutive points, capped by a Forbes tip-in, pushing the 'Dons to a 64-56 lead with eight and a half minutes to play.
The Mastodon lead never reached double-digits; however, the Jackrabbits were never able to push their deficit below four points. IPFW iced the game by hitting 6-of-8 free throws in the final minute and a half of the contest to secure the seven-point victory.
IPFW was 30-of-63 from the field (47.6%), and 8-of-29 from long range (27.6%). The three-point shooting was the team's lowest percentage since November 24 against Kennesaw State where the team hit just 3-of-11.
STRAIGHT SHOOTER
A look behind IPFW's shooting percentage, which is the 6th-best team total in the country, you will see three regular players shooting at .500 or better. Leading that group is IPFW junior forward Steve Forbes, who shoots 66.5 percent from the field (109-of-164). Forbes' totals are quite good; however, he does not appear in the NCAA national rankings because he is 11 makes shy of missing the minimum of five made shots per game mark in order to be ranked. ESPN, however, has a much less stringent minimum to qualify (five field goal attempts per game), and in that ranking Forbes stands second in the country.
DRAFTED STAR
Former Mastodon standout Frank Gaines was selected with the first pick in the second round by the Maine Red Claws in the 2013 NBA Development League draft. In 25 games with the Red Claws, Gaines is averaging 19.7 points per game, which ranks second on his squad and 9th in the D-League.
HIGH IN THE RPI
IPFW's current RPI (ratings percentage index) - a mathematical figure used to rank teams based on their records, their strength of schedule, and their opponents' records - stands at 129. The RPI mark is just off of the program low, which came two weeks earlier with a 128. Heading into the season, the previous best RPI for the program was at the end of the 2011 season when the program's RPI was at 180.
IPFW and Opponents in NCAA RPI
GOOD AMONG INDIANA
SHOOTING FOR THE BEST
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