'Dons Ready for Vikings on Thursday on ESPNU

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne and Cleveland State will add another chapter to their rivalry on Thursday (Jan. 30) evening when the 'Dons and Vikings play on ESPNU at 9 p.m. Kids 12th grade and under are free for the game, redeemable at the Coliseum Box Office. Also, first responders may show their identification and receive a free ticket for themselves and three guests.

Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (15-7, 8-3 Horizon) vs. Cleveland State (16-6, 10-1 Horizon)
When: Thursday, Jan. 30 | 9 p.m. ET
Where: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Link
Listen: 1380 AM
Watch: ESPNU | ESPN+
Series History: Cleveland State leads 12-3
Game Notes (PDF): Purdue Fort Wayne | Cleveland State

// The Feb. 21 vs. Oakland and Feb. 27 vs. Northern Kentucky home games are also possibilities to be flexed. The Mastodons' road game at Cleveland State on March 1 is also a possibility for a broadcast.

// The 'Dons are 2nd in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.1) and 5th in turnover margin (+6.1).
   - The 'Dons committed no turnovers in a 103-52 win over Defiance on Dec. 20, tying an NCAA record.
   - 13 times this year the 'Dons have committed single-digit turnovers in a game.
   - The 'Dons had only seven turnovers in a double overtime win at Wright State.
   - This isn't new. Last year: 10.4 turnovers/game (11th in the nation), +5.7 turnover margin (4th).
   - In league games, the 'Dons are averaging 10.0 turnovers.
   - Quinton Morton-Robertson's 2.50 assist/turnover ratio is 59th in the nation.

// In the nation the Mastodons are:
   - 2nd in fewest turnovers per game (9.1)
   - 4th in 3-pointers per game (11.0)
   - 5th in turnover margin (+6.1)
   - 6th in 3-point percentage (39.6 percent)
   - 10th in effective field goal percentage (57.4 percent)
   - 12th in assist/turnover ratio (1.64)
   - 15th in points per game (84.1)
   - 28th in field goal percentage (48.4)
   - 32nd in 3-point attempts per game (27.9)
   - 33rd in turnovers forced per game (15.18)
   - 34th in free throw percentage (76.8)
   - 40th in steals per game (8.7)
// The Mastodons have opened the season 9-0 at home, the best undefeated home stretch to start a season in the program's NCAA Division I history. If you're wondering, the best home performance in a single-season came in 1992-93 when the NCAA Division II Tournament bound 'Dons went 14-0 at Gates.

// With two wins at home to close out last season, the Mastodon home win-streak is at 11 games. Their last loss in a game in Fort Wayne was Feb. 14, 2024 to Oakland.

// On Jalen Jackson's 38 point performance at IU Indianapolis (Jan. 25)
   - Most points by a Horizon League player this year
   - T-3rd in Division I program history for points in a game
   - 14 free throws, T-2nd in Division I program history for free throws in a game

// Multiple 'Dons are shooting 40 percent or better from three this year (min. 50 att.):
   - Corey Hadnot II - 44.4 percent (32-of-72)
   - Rasheed Bello - 43.4 percent (49-of-113)
   - Maximus Nelson - 41.7 percent (53-of-127)

// The 'Dons had a season-high 23 fast break points (against a DI team) vs. Youngstown State (Jan. 4).

// Notes on the 2OT win at Wright State (Jan. 15).
   - The game ranked 10th on KenPom on the website's "excitement scale" of all Division I games in 2024-25.
   - Most points against a Division I opponent in program history (120).
   - It is the first time a team has scored 120 points in a Horizon League game since Evansville defeated Butler 136-128 in double overtime on Feb. 9, 1991.
   - Chandler Cuthrell set career highs in points (20) and rebounds (16).
   - Chandler Cuthrell's 16 rebounds are tied for 7th for most rebounds in a game in the Division I program history.
   - The last 'Don to record 16 boards in a game was John Konchar at UIC (Nov. 18, 2017)
   - The 'Dons have played (and won) two straight overtime games at Wright State.
   - The 'Dons shot 53.2 percent (42-of-79) with only seven turnovers in 50 minutes.

// Per Ken Pom, the 'Dons are fourth in the nation in minutes continuity at 72.4 percent. Ken Pom describes the stat as "determining what percentage of a team's minutes are played by the same player from last season to this season." The current national average is 34.0 percent.

// Since the 2018-19 season, the 'Dons have four total games of 24 or more made free throws and three have come this season. The 26 the 'Dons made against Bethune-Cookman and Robert Morris are tied for the seventh most in the Division I era of the program for made free throws in a game.

// Quinton Morton-Robertson (vs. Milwaukee, Jan. 10) and Jalen Jackson (at Eastern Michigan, Dec. 15) both have scored their 1,000th career NCAA point this year.

// Career games with 10 made free throws (Mastodon DI era)
Rank   Player   Total
1   Frank Gaines   9
2   Bryson Scott   6
3   Jalen Jackson   4

// Rasheed Bello had 12 assists at Green Bay (Dec. 29). He is the first Mastodon with 12 assists since Jarred Godfrey recorded 12 in the Horizon League Tournament at Cleveland State in 2021 in a triple overtime game. The last Mastodon with 12 assists in a 40-minute contest was John Konchar who had 14 at Denver on Feb. 14, 2019. Bello is the first Horizon League player to reach 12 assists in a league game since Jalen Moore had 14 and 13 for Oakland during the 2021-22 season.

// Notes on the Defiance contest:
- The 'Dons recorded zero turnovers, just the third team to so since 2004 (per sports-reference.com)
- The 'Dons were +25 in turnover margin.

// This season the 'Dons have:
   - made 10 or more 3-pointers 15 times.
   - forced 20 turnovers four times.
   - recorded 19 or more assists five times.
   - shot 50 percent or better 11 times.
   - scored 50 points in a half seven times. Five times against a Division I opponent.

JALEN JACKSON...:
// ... has 1,014 points in a Mastodon uniform, going over 1,000 as a Mastodon at IU Indianapolis (Jan. 25).
// ... earned the 2025 CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Mid-Major Mid-Season Player of the Year in January 2025. The award is the precursor to the end of the year award given away at the Final Four at the end of the year.
// ... picked up back-to-back Horizon League Player of the Weeks on Jan. 20 on Jan. 27, 2025.
// ... in league play, Jalen Jackson is shooting 57.8 percent.
// ... has reached double-figures in every game this season and 20 points nine times.
// ... has scored in double-digits in 53-of-58 career games for the 'Dons.
// ... ranks 4th in the nation in total points (448) and 2nd in total field goals (156).
// ... ranks 15th in the nation and first in the league in made free throws with 110. He is 22nd in the nation with 142 free throw attempts, also best in the league.
// ... is 44th in the nation with 41 steals.
// ... is averaging 6.5 fouls drawn per 40 minutes, 34th in the nation per KenPom.
// ... was named to The Sunshine Classic All-Tournament Team (Nov. 2024).
// ... has reached double-digit free throw attempts in a game 10 times in his career.
// ... made 133 free throws last season, 8th in a single-season all-time in program history.
// ... has raised his field goal percentage each year of his career (42.4 percent, 49.7 percent to 52.5 percent this season).
// ... was named the MVP of the CIT's Jim Phelan Classic in a win at Bowling Green in March 2024.
// ... drew 12 fouls against Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 12), going 13-of-16 from the free throw line. His 13 free throws tied for fifth most in game in the program's NCAA Division I era.

~ Feel The Rumble ~

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Players Mentioned

Rasheed Bello

Chandler Cuthrell

Corey Hadnot II

Jalen Jackson

Quinton Morton-Robertson

Maximus Nelson

Purdue University Fort Wayne Athletics