No. 1 IPFW Plays No. 8 South Dakota In Summit League Championship Quarterfinal

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – IPFW, the top seed for the 2016 Summit League Men's Basketball Championship for the first time in program history, will play No. 8 seed South Dakota in the first quarterfinal of the league tournament Saturday, March 5 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Midco Sports Network/ESPN3). The Mastodons of second-year head coach Jon Coffman finished their regular season with an overall record of 23-8, 12-4 in The Summit League, claiming their first regular season title as co-champions. The Coyotes finished the season with a record of 14-17, 5-11 in the Summit League.

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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
TV: Midco Sports Network/ESPN3
Radio: ESPN 1380 AM / 100.9 FM
Play-by-Play: Brett Rump
Video: espn.go.com
Stats: summitstats.com
Audio: espnfortwayne.com (Listen Live)

Quick Hits
• IPFW, seeded No. 1 for the first time in program history, is playing No. 8 South Dakota for the 12th time in a series that began on December 3, 2011 (W 92-87). The Mastodons lead the series, 7-4, including a season sweep this year ... winning 85-65 in Fort Wayne at the Memorial Coliseum (1/6) and 95-82 in Vermillion at the DakotaDome (2/4).
• IPFW is 5-8 in Summit League Tournament games since joining the league in 2007-08, including 0-1 under head coach Jon Coffman. The Mastodons and South Dakota have met once previously in a Summit League Tournament game, as the Coyotes defeated IPFW 82-73 last year in Sioux Falls (3/8).
• IPFW is enjoying its finest season as a Division I program (2001-02) with its 23-8 record, the most regular season wins in Division I and tying the most all-time (23-4, 1992-93), while only the second 20-win season in Division I (25-11, 2013-14).
• IPFW is ranked No. 18 in this week's The CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, and is among the Top 25 for a record ninth-straight week. The Mastodons previous high ranking was at No. 14 earlier this month (2/22).
• IPFW has four scoring in double figures, including Max Landis (19.4, 112 3FGs), John Konchar (12.8), Michael Calder (10.4) and Joe Reed (10.3). Konchar leads the team in rebounding (8.9) and steals (1.7), while Landis leads in assists (3.7).

2015-16 All-Summit League Honors
Landis was selected as the 2015-16 Summit League Player of the Year, and Coach Coffman garnered Coach of the Year honors, as announced March 3 by the league office at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Landis was also a First Team All-Summit League selection, as was Konchar, who was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team, as well, while Reed was an Honorable Mention All-Summit League choice, in voting by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and select media members covering each league member. Landis has averaged 19.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 37.3 minutes with a new school-record and league-best 112 three-pointers (3.7). Konchar has averaged 12.8 points, a league-best 8.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 35.3 minutes. Reed has averaged 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 29.2 minutes. Coffman has led IPFW to its finest season as a Division I program (23-8). Landis and Coffman are IPFW's first Summit League Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in the sport.

Scouting The Coyotes
No. 8 seed South Dakota is 14-17 overall, finishing 5-11 in The Summit League, following a league road loss at Western Illinois (90-76) Feb. 27. The Coyotes are coached by Craig Smith, who is in his second season as head coach at USD. South Dakota has two scoring in double-figures, including seniors Tre Burnette (12.9) and Casey Kasperbauer (12.4). The Coyotes have averaged 76.5 points, while allowing 79.1 points, and are 3-1 in neutral site games this season.

Scouting The Mastodons
No. 1 seed IPFW is 23-8 overall, finishing 12-4 in The Summit League, following a league road loss at IUPUI (80-77) Feb. 27. 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 (19.4), Konchar (12.8), Calder (10.4) and Reed (10.3). The Mastodons have averaged 80.4 points, while allowing 76.4 points, and are 1-1 in neutral site games this season.

Last Time Out
Landis scored 23 points to lead IPFW during an 80-77 road loss at IUPUI in the regular season finale. IUPUI led 41-39 at halftime and scored 10 of the first 12 points in the second half to lead 51-41 with 16:51 remaining. The Mastodons used a 12-4 run to climb back to within 55-53 at 13:22, getting five quick points from Reed, including a three-pointer, while DeAngelo Stewart made another triple during the run, as well. A pair of free throws by Reed at 11:37 made it 58-55, but the Jaguars answered with a 12-4 run of their own to take their largest lead of the contest at 70-59 with 7:02 on the clock. Down 10 (72-62) with 5:20 left, IPFW began battling back as they have all season long … and a three-pointer by Calder at 1:21 had the visitors within 76-74, capping yet another 12-4 run that included seven points from Calder and an impressive offensive rebound and two-handed slam dunk by Konchar. IUPUI scored on an offensive tip-in with just under a minute left to make it 78-74, but Landis was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws with 44.3-seconds left for a one-point game at 78-77. The Jaguars had a layup attempt blocked by Stewart with one-second left on the shot-clock, but managed to score on the inbounds lob-play in the lane at 13.8 seconds. IPFW had two good attempts from three-point territory by Landis that would have forced overtime, but unfortunately, both shots just would not fall. Landis led IPFW with his 23 points for his 12th 20-point game this season, including four three-pointers to increase his new school season record to 112, adding three assists while playing the full 40 minutes for the fifth consecutive game. The 12 20-point games have come over the last 20 games of the season, and the standout guard scored in double-figures in 29 of 31 games this season, while scoring nine points in each of the other two contests. Calder finished with 15 points, including 13 in the second half, adding four assists. Reed added 13 points and five rebounds, and joined the 1,000 career point club, as the fourth-year standout totals an even 1,000 career points at IPFW. Konchar contributed 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for his 12th collegiate double-double. IPFW shot 45% (25-56) from the field, including 35% (9-26) on three-pointers and 78% (18-23) at the free throw line.

Who's Hot
IPFW … with 23 wins for its highest regular season win total since moving up to Division I (2001-02). Landis ... averaging 23.8 points and 4.2 assists in his last five games, including one 30-point game among five 20-point games, while shooting 44% (35-79) from the field, 39% (20-52, 4.0) on three-pointers and 85% (29-34) at the line. Calder ... averaging 18.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in his last five games, including two 20-point games among five double-figure games, while shooting 50% (32-64) from the field, 46% (13-28) on three-pointers and 89% (16-18) at the line. Konchar ... averaging a double-double of 16.8 points and 10.4 rebounds (three double-doubles) in his last five games, while shooting 65% (28-43) from the field (2-8 3FGs) and 84% (26-31) at the line. Stewart ... averaging 12.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in his last five games, including a career-high 23 points among three double-figure games, while shooting 50% (20-40) from the field, 52% (13-25) on three-pointers and 79% (11-14) at the line. Reed ... averaging 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in his last five games, including three double-figure games, while shooting 60% (15-25) from the field (4-6 3FGs) and 75% (18-24) at the line.

NCAA RPI Ratings
IPFW has an NCAA RPI of 65 as of March 4, ranking 2nd among the Summit League's top five teams behind South Dakota State (40), and followed by Omaha (131), North Dakota State (138) and Oral Roberts (149).

Raining 3's
IPFW has made 321 three-point field goals, ranking 5th in Division I, and the Mastodons rank 6th nationally in three-point percentage (.416, 321-772) and three-pointers per game (10.4). Landis ranks 2nd in Division I made three-pointers (112) and three-pointers per game (3.73), and is 7th in Division I three-point percentage (.465, 112-241). He has 13 games this season with at least four three-pointers.

What A Game By Landis
Landis scored a school-record 44 points at South Dakota on Feb. 4, tying the eighth-highest total in Division I this season, while also the sixth-most ever in a Summit League game. His 11 three-point field goals in that game equal the second-most in Division I this year, and ties the Summit League record, as well. Landis has two games this season with nine three-pointers (9-12 vs. Austin Peay, 12/12; 9-12 at Omaha, 1/16), tying for seventh-most in Division I in 2015-16.

Elite First-Year Player
Konchar is ranked 1st among Division I freshmen in minutes played (1095), while 5th nationally in double-doubles (12) and 7th in rebounding (8.9). If he qualified for field goal percentage (minimum 5.0 made per game-Konchar is just below at 4.71), he would rank 4th (.589, 146-248) 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.

Among The Top 25
IPFW was ranked No. 18 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 with 231 votes. The Mastodons are ranked among the Top 25 for a record ninth consecutive week. It's previous high national ranking was No. 14 on Feb. 22.

Ironmen
IPFW has two starters who have ranked among the Division I leaders in minutes played all season, including Landis (20th, 1120) and Konchar (31st, 1095). Landis has played 40 or more minutes 10 times this season, including the last five-straight games, while Konchar has played 40 or more four times.

Road Warriors
IPFW has played 18 games away from Fort Wayne, including 16 true road games (10-6) 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; Fargo, North Dakota; Macomb, Illinois and Indianapolis 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 3,928 miles this season on Charter Buses for games in Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. Over 2,000 miles (2,060) of the bus rides have occurred during the trips to California (700), South Dakota/Nebraska (238), South Dakota/North Dakota (364) and Illinois/Indiana, 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 March 4, 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 (72) 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
The first semifinal game of the 2016 Summit League Men's Basketball Championship on March 7 at 7 p.m. ET at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Complete game notes available via link pdf.

No. 1 IPFW Plays No. 8 South Dakota In Summit League Championship Quarterfinal

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Players Mentioned

Michael Calder

John Konchar

Max Landis

Joe Reed

DeAngelo Stewart

Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics