IPFW Closes Regular Season At IUPUI Saturday Afternoon

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- IPFW, ranked No. 14 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25, will close the regular season at in-state rival IUPUI in a Summit League men's basketball game Saturday afternoon, February 27, at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis beginning at 1 p.m. The Mastodons (23-7, 12-3 Summit League) of second-year head coach Jon Coffman are led in scoring by redshirt-senior Max Landis/Indianapolis (19.2), redshirt-freshman John Konchar/Chicago, Ill. (12.9) along with seniors Michael Calder (10.3) and Joe Reed/Greenwood (10.2). The Jaguars are coached by head coach Jason Gardner, who is in his second season, and are led in scoring by juniors Darell Combs (15.8) and Matt O'Leary (10.3). For the first time in program history, IPFW has secured the top seed for the 2016 Summit League Basketball Championships March 5-8, and at least a share of the regular season title, as the Mastodons own the tie-breaker with second-place South Dakota State.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV: ESPN3
Radio: ESPN 1380 AM / 100.9 FM
Play-by-Play: Brett Rump; Analyst: John Nolan
Video: espn.go.com
Stats: iupuijags.com
Audio: espnfortwayne.com (Listen Live)

Quick Hits
• IPFW is playing fellow Summit League member IUPUI for the 43rd time overall in a series that began during 1973-74 (L 98-97). The Jaguars lead the series, 28-14, including an 84-82 buzzer-beating win in Fort Wayne last month (1/23), when Marcellus Barksdale (13 points) made a layup as the horn sounded. The two schools split last season with the Mastodons winning in Indianapolis (69-54, 2/11/15), and IUPUI winning in Fort Wayne (63-58, 1/4/15). IPFW has won five of the last seven games in the series.
• IPFW is 80-71 in Summit League regular season games since joining the league in 2007-08, including 21-10 under Coach Coffman.
• IPFW has attained its finest start to a season as a Division I program (2001-02) with its 23-7 record, the most regular season wins in Division I, and the second 20-win season in Division I (25-11, 2013-14).
• IPFW moved up to No. 14 in this week's The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, its highest ranking ever, and is among the Top 25 for a record eighth-straight week. The Mastodons previous high ranking was at No. 15 earlier this month (2/1).

Scouting The Jaguars
IUPUI is 12-18 overall, 8-7 in The Summit League, following a league home loss to South Dakota (85-82) Feb. 25. The Jaguars are coached by head coach Jason Gardner, who is in his second season. IUPUI has two scoring in double-figures, including juniors Darell Combs (15.8) and Matt O'Leary (10.3). The Jaguars have averaged 68.5 points, while allowing 74.2 points, and are 8-2 in home games this season, 5-2 in the league. IUPUI is currently tied for fourth in the Summit League standings.

Scouting The Mastodons
IPFW is 23-7 overall, 12-3 in The Summit League, following a league road win at Western Illinois (87-75) Feb. 25. The Mastodons are coached by Jon Coffman, who is in his second season as head coach, fifth year at the school and 19th overall. IPFW has four scoring in double-figures, including Landis (19.2), Konchar (12.9), Calder (10.3) and Reed (10.2). The Mastodons have averaged 80.5 points, while allowing 76.2 points, and are 10-5 in road games this season, 5-2 in the league. It's the best road record in the Division I era (2001-02). IPFW is currently first in the Summit League standings.

Last Time Out
Landis scored 24 points to lead IPFW to an 87-75 Summit League road win at Western Illinois. The Mastodons secured the top seed for the 2016 Summit League Basketball Championships March 5-8, and at least a share of the regular season title with the victory. IPFW, ranked No. 14 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25, broke away from an early 5-5 deadlock at 17:02 with a 14-4 run to lead 19-9 at 11:05. Landis sparked the outburst with eight quick points, including two three-point field goals -- one from NBA distance. WIU battled back to within 29-25 at 5:07, but the Mastodons responded with a quick 7-2 run to extend the margin to 36-27 at 2:55. Konchar and Landis each made a pair of free throws, while Konchar added a three-pointer, as well. It was 39-34 at halftime before IPFW outscored WIU 24-13 to begin the second half for its largest lead of the contest at 63-47 with 11:35 remaining. Five different players scored during the run for the Mastodons, including Calder (6), junior DeAngelo Stewart/Detroit, Mich. (6), Konchar (5), Landis (5) and Joe Reed (2). The Leathernecks put together a 23-14 run to close to within 77-70 with 4:28 left to play, but got no closer. IPFW secured its 11th win away from home this season with a game-ending 10-5 advantage, including 8-8 free throws over the final 3:40 by Konchar (4-4), Calder (2-2) and Landis (2-2). Landis led IPFW with his 24 points for his 11th 20-point game this season, including five three-pointers to increase his new school season record to 108, adding three assists. Calder and Konchar each finished with 19 points, with Calder adding a game and career-high seven assists and five rebounds, while Konchar had a game-high eight rebounds. Stewart added 16 points, off the bench, including 4-6 three-pointers, while Reed contributed nine points and a game-high eight rebounds. IPFW shot 48% (26-54) from the field, including 42% (11-26) on three-pointers and 86% (24-28) at the free throw line. IPFW owns the tie-breaker with current second-place South Dakota State via a pair of wins over third-place Omaha, who SDSU split with this season. It's the first Summit League regular season title, outright or shared, for the Mastodons.

Who's Hot
IPFW … with 23 wins in 30 games for its finest start to a season since moving up to Division I (2001-02). Landis ... averaging 24.0 points and 4.5 assists in his last 12 games, including one 40-point game and three 30-point games among eight 20-point games, while shooting 48% (88-185) from the field, 48% (53-111, 4.4) on three-pointers and 82% (59-72) at the line. Konchar ... averaging a double-double of 15.3 points and 10.3 rebounds (eight double-doubles) in his last 12 games, while shooting 61% (65-107) from the field, 52% (13-25) on three-pointers and 76% (41-54) at the line. He grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds vs. North Dakota State (1/21), the second-highest among guards in Division I and third-most by a freshman this season. Calder ... averaging 15.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in his last 12 games, while shooting 42% (60-142) from the field, 44% (29-66) on three-pointers and 83% (34-41) at the line. He has equaled his career-high of 20 points three times, including vs. IUPUI (1/23), Denver (2/13) and South Dakota State (2/18). Stewart ... averaging 13.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in his last 10 games, while shooting 52% (45-86) from the field, 48% (28-58) on three-pointers and 79% (15-19) at the line.

NCAA RPI Ratings
IPFW has an NCAA RPI of 64 as of Feb. 26, ranking 2nd among the Summit League's top five teams behind South Dakota State (40), and followed by Omaha (133), North Dakota State (138) and Oral Roberts (146).

Raining 3's
IPFW has made 312 three-point field goals, ranking 5th in Division I, and the Mastodons also rank 5th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.418, 312-746) as well as 7th in three-pointers per game (10.4). Landis ranks 2nd in Division I made three-pointers (108) and three-pointers per game (3.72), and is 4th in Division I three-point percentage (.474, 108-228). He has 11 games with at least four three-pointers.

Elite First-Year Player
Konchar is ranked 1st among Division I freshmen in minutes played (1055), while 5th nationally in double-doubles (11) and 7th in rebounding (8.8). If he qualified for field goal percentage (minimum 5.0 made per game-Konchar is just below at 4.77), he would rank 3rd (.591, 143-242) among the nation's freshman class. Some names of those just ahead of him in the national rankings include Ben Simmons at LSU, Henry Ellenson at Marquette and Caleb Swanigan of Purdue.

Stepping It Up A Notch
IPFW is averaging 82.7 points per game through 15 Summit League contests (12-3), up from its 80.5 scoring average overall. Landis is averaging 22.9 points with 4.3 made three-point field goals in league games, up from his 19.2 points and 3.7 three-pointers overall. Konchar is averaging 14.9 points and 9.9 rebounds in league games, including nine double-doubles (one with assists), up from his 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds overall.

Among The Top 25
IPFW moved up to No. 14 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 with 342 votes, its highest ranking ever. The Mastodons are ranked among the Top 25 for a record eighth consecutive week. It's previous high national ranking was No. 15 on Feb. 1.

Ironmen
IPFW has two starters who have ranked among the Division I leaders in minutes played all season, including Landis (13th, 1080) and Konchar (18th, 1055). Landis has played 40 or more minutes nine times this season, including the last four-straight games, while Konchar has played 40 or more three times.

Road Warriors
IPFW has played 17 games away from Fort Wayne, including 15 true road games (10-5) and two neutral-site contests (1-1). The Mastodons' brutal early-season schedule (10 of the first 14 away) included trips to Valparaiso; Clarksville, Tennessee; Oxford, Ohio; Greensboro, North Carolina; San Luis Obispo, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Bloomington and Kalamazoo, Michigan -- all before Christmas. IPFW has since traveled to Denver, Colorado; Brookings, South Dakota; Omaha, Nebraska; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Vermillion, South Dakota and Fargo, North Dakota for league games.

Frequent Flyers/Travelers
IPFW has flown 11,097 miles this season for games in North Carolina (1,402), California and Utah (3,599), Denver (2,086), South Dakota and Nebraska (1,192), Oklahoma (1,486), as well as South Dakota (again) and North Dakota (1,332). In addition, the Mastodons have traveled 3,170 miles this season on Charter Buses for games in Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. Over 1,300 miles (1,302) of the bus rides have occurred during the trips to California (700) and South Dakota/Nebraska (238) along with South Dakota/North Dakota (364). This trip to Western Illinois and IUPUI adds 758 miles of bus riding to the season travel, totaling 3,928 miles on Charter Buses during the 2015-16 regular season. The Mastodons have played games in 13 different states this year.

The Team Three-Point Stat
IPFW has made at least one three-point field goal in 388 consecutive games, dating back to a road game at Miami (Ohio) (12/21/03, 0-9). The Mastodons' 312 three-pointers this season include 18 games with at least 10 three-pointers, including a school-record 20 made three-pointers at South Dakota (2/4, 20-36, 56%). The season-low is six, three times, most recent vs. Navy (11/29, 6-26) in Greensboro, North Carolina. Through Feb. 26, UNLV has the current Division I record at 970 straight games, dating back to Nov. 26, 1986.

Among Indiana / Mid-Majors
IPFW has posted 64 wins over the past three seasons since 2013-14, ranking 3rd among Indiana's 10 Division I programs, behind Valparaiso (70) and Notre Dame (66). The Mastodons are 2nd among those schools considered to be mid-major programs in Indiana (Valparaiso). The two-plus campaigns are also the most successful seasons in the program's Division I history, including consecutive post-season appearances in the 2014 and 2015 CollegeInsider.com Tournaments -- the first and only consecutive post-season appearances, as well.

Up Next
IPFW will play an opponent to be determined in the first quarterfinal game of the 2016 Summit League Basketball Championships March 5 at 7 p.m. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Complete game notes available via linked pdf.

IPFW Closes Regular Season At IUPUI Saturday Afternoon

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Players Mentioned

Michael Calder

John Konchar

Max Landis

Joe Reed

DeAngelo Stewart

Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics