Monday, March 10
Indianapolis, Ind.
2:30 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
vs
Cleveland State
Audra Emmerson
Photo by: Josh Gales
Mastodon Women's Basketball Set to Play Cleveland State in #HLWBB Semifinal
3/7/2025 5:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball is two wins away from its first trip to March Madness. Cleveland State stands in the way, as the No. 2 seeded Mastodons will play the No. 3 seeded Vikings on Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the Corteva Coliseum (formerly Indiana Farmers Coliseum) in Indianapolis.
Game Day Information
Who: Cleveland State Vikings
When: Monday, March 10 | 2:30 PM
Where: Indianapolis, Ind. | Corteva Coliseum
Live Stats: Sidearm | Statbroadcast
Watch: Link
Tickets: Link
Radio: 1380 The Fan
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Cleveland State | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
Cleveland State is 24-8 and earned the No. 3 seed after a 14-6 Horizon League season. Six of the Vikings' losses came away from home, including the regular season finale at Youngstown State. The Vikings beat Detroit Mercy 92-61 in the quarterfinal to advance to Indianapolis. Horizon League Player of the Year Mickayla Perdue had 24 points, five assists and four steals in that contest.
The Series
The Vikings lead the all-time series 16-2, but the two teams split this season's meetings. Both teams won the road contest, with the Mastodons winning 78-75 on a go-ahead 3-pointer from Lauren Ross.
All-League Accolades
Purdue Fort Wayne raked in All-League awards on March 3. Lauren Ross was named the Newcomer of the Year and was an All-League First Team selection, Jordan Reid was the Sixth Player of the Year, Jazzlyn Linbo earned the Sportsmanship Award, Amellia Bromenschenkel and Sydney Freeman were selected to the All-League Second Team and Maria Marchesano was named the Coach of the Year. Marchesano was the first Coach of the Year in program history.
Championship Outlook
This is the third year in a row that Purdue Fort Wayne has made the semifinal of the Horizon League Championship. In each of the last two seasons, the 'Dons played Green Bay. The Mastodons have never played Cleveland State in a Horizon League postseason game, but the two met in the WBI in 2011.
Regular Season Highlights
Purdue Fort Wayne finished second in the Horizon League regular season, which was the second runner-up finish in the program's Division I history. The Mastodons' 18 Horizon League wins are the most in a league season in program history, besting the 16 in 1995-96 in the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference season. The previous most at the Division I level was 13, set in 2010-11 and matched in 2023-24.
Swipe, Swipe, Swipe!
Purdue Fort Wayne has 308 steals as a team this season, needing nine more to match the program record of 317, which was set in 1990-91.
Finishing Strong
In the last eight games, Audra Emmerson averaged 10.3 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent (31-of-73) from the floor and 38.1 percent (16-of-42) from beyond the arc.
She's Not Done Yet!
Amellia Bromenschenkel recorded double-digit scoring performances in each of the last five games. She averaged 13.2 points per game in that stretch.
Fort Wayne's Own
Over her last seven games played, Sydney Graber is shooting 67.6 percent (23-of-34) from the floor.
She Can Reid The Defense
Over the last eight games, Jordan Reid averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 45-of-82 (56.6 percent). In the Cleveland State game on February 15, she scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, and scored or assisted on the final 18 Mastodon points.
Shooters Shoot
Lauren Ross' 47.5 percent clip from 3-point range is the best in the country. Her 3.10 triples per game rank sixth nationally and 94.4 percent from the free throw line is second-best.
Road Warriors
Purdue Fort Wayne is 11-4 on the road this season and owns a 9-1 record in Horizon League road games. The Mastodons' 11 road wins is the best mark in program history.
Ross Has the Sauce
Through 31 games, Lauren Ross is shooting 46.9 percent from the floor, 47.5 percent from 3-point range and 94.4 percent from the line. If those percentages hold, she would be one of 18 players to shoot 45/45/90 since the 3-point line was added to college basketball.
Amellia BromenDubayoo
Amellia Bromenschenkel has 71 wins in her career which is the most of any Mastodon women's basketball player at the Division I level. Audra Emmerson and Jazzlyn Linbo have 70 each, right behind the graduate student.
Some is Schwiet, More Is Schwieter
Renna Schwieterman is shooting 52.6 percent (40-of-76) from 2-point range this season.
Dubs
Purdue Fort Wayne has 24 wins this season, which is the most wins for the program in a season at any level.
Literally Free
Lauren Ross has missed just one of her last 47 free throws dating back to the fourth quarter of the IU Indy game on December 11.
Super Sydney
In league play, Sydney Freeman averaged 11.5 points per game and is shooting 42.9 percent from the floor (87-of-203) and 36.5 percent from 3-point range (31-of-85).
In The Polls...
Purdue Fort Wayne was ranked No. 25 in the most recent CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25. The Mastodons have received votes in every poll since November 12, but moved into the rankings for the first time in program history on January 14 at No. 18. They reached as high as No. 15 in the poll.
Rankings Respect
Per the NET and Bart Torvik, Purdue Fort Wayne has a national ranking of 90 and 93, respectively.
Home Sweet Gates
The Mastodons are 13-1 at home this season. In its home games this season, Purdue Fort Wayne is scoring 78.2 points per game and has an average margin of victory of 23.5 points per game. The Mastodons are shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from 3-point range in Fort Wayne.
Money Millie
Amellia Bromenschenkel scored in double-figures in 15 Horizon League games this season, averaging 11.6 points per league game.
Career-Bests For Freezy
Sydney Freeman is shooting 43.3 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from 3-point range, both of which are career-best marks. Her mark of 62 steals is also a career-best.
Thief!
Sydney Freeman is third in the Horizon League and top-100 nationally with 62 steals this season.
Nope!
Jazzlyn Linbo is fifth in the league and top-150 nationally with 1.12 blocks per game this season.
League Leaders
Purdue Fort Wayne leads the Horizon League in scoring margin (16.7), points per game (75.8), steals per game (9.9), 3-pointers taken and made per game (24.8, 9.2), 3-point percentage (36.9), 3-point defense (29.3), turnover margin (6.58), turnovers forced per game (19.06) and bench points per game (22.9). All of those figures outside of 3-point defense are top-50 marks in the country.
Lively Lineup
Lauren Ross, Amellia Bromenschenkel, Audra Emmerson and Sydney Freeman have started all 31 games this season.
Magic Numbers 70 and 80
Under head coach Maria Marchesano, the Mastodons are 45-8 when they score 70 points or more and 19-3 when they hit 80.
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne advanced to the semifinal of the Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championship with a 64-50 win over Wright State.
Coming Up
With a victory on Monday, the Mastodons would play the winner of Green Bay/Robert Morris at noon on Tuesday for a chance at their first league championship and NCAA Division I Tournament berth.
Game Day Information
Who: Cleveland State Vikings
When: Monday, March 10 | 2:30 PM
Where: Indianapolis, Ind. | Corteva Coliseum
Live Stats: Sidearm | Statbroadcast
Watch: Link
Tickets: Link
Radio: 1380 The Fan
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Cleveland State | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
Cleveland State is 24-8 and earned the No. 3 seed after a 14-6 Horizon League season. Six of the Vikings' losses came away from home, including the regular season finale at Youngstown State. The Vikings beat Detroit Mercy 92-61 in the quarterfinal to advance to Indianapolis. Horizon League Player of the Year Mickayla Perdue had 24 points, five assists and four steals in that contest.
The Series
The Vikings lead the all-time series 16-2, but the two teams split this season's meetings. Both teams won the road contest, with the Mastodons winning 78-75 on a go-ahead 3-pointer from Lauren Ross.
All-League Accolades
Purdue Fort Wayne raked in All-League awards on March 3. Lauren Ross was named the Newcomer of the Year and was an All-League First Team selection, Jordan Reid was the Sixth Player of the Year, Jazzlyn Linbo earned the Sportsmanship Award, Amellia Bromenschenkel and Sydney Freeman were selected to the All-League Second Team and Maria Marchesano was named the Coach of the Year. Marchesano was the first Coach of the Year in program history.
Championship Outlook
This is the third year in a row that Purdue Fort Wayne has made the semifinal of the Horizon League Championship. In each of the last two seasons, the 'Dons played Green Bay. The Mastodons have never played Cleveland State in a Horizon League postseason game, but the two met in the WBI in 2011.
Regular Season Highlights
Purdue Fort Wayne finished second in the Horizon League regular season, which was the second runner-up finish in the program's Division I history. The Mastodons' 18 Horizon League wins are the most in a league season in program history, besting the 16 in 1995-96 in the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference season. The previous most at the Division I level was 13, set in 2010-11 and matched in 2023-24.
Swipe, Swipe, Swipe!
Purdue Fort Wayne has 308 steals as a team this season, needing nine more to match the program record of 317, which was set in 1990-91.
Finishing Strong
In the last eight games, Audra Emmerson averaged 10.3 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent (31-of-73) from the floor and 38.1 percent (16-of-42) from beyond the arc.
She's Not Done Yet!
Amellia Bromenschenkel recorded double-digit scoring performances in each of the last five games. She averaged 13.2 points per game in that stretch.
Fort Wayne's Own
Over her last seven games played, Sydney Graber is shooting 67.6 percent (23-of-34) from the floor.
She Can Reid The Defense
Over the last eight games, Jordan Reid averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 45-of-82 (56.6 percent). In the Cleveland State game on February 15, she scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, and scored or assisted on the final 18 Mastodon points.
Shooters Shoot
Lauren Ross' 47.5 percent clip from 3-point range is the best in the country. Her 3.10 triples per game rank sixth nationally and 94.4 percent from the free throw line is second-best.
Road Warriors
Purdue Fort Wayne is 11-4 on the road this season and owns a 9-1 record in Horizon League road games. The Mastodons' 11 road wins is the best mark in program history.
Ross Has the Sauce
Through 31 games, Lauren Ross is shooting 46.9 percent from the floor, 47.5 percent from 3-point range and 94.4 percent from the line. If those percentages hold, she would be one of 18 players to shoot 45/45/90 since the 3-point line was added to college basketball.
Amellia BromenDubayoo
Amellia Bromenschenkel has 71 wins in her career which is the most of any Mastodon women's basketball player at the Division I level. Audra Emmerson and Jazzlyn Linbo have 70 each, right behind the graduate student.
Some is Schwiet, More Is Schwieter
Renna Schwieterman is shooting 52.6 percent (40-of-76) from 2-point range this season.
Dubs
Purdue Fort Wayne has 24 wins this season, which is the most wins for the program in a season at any level.
Literally Free
Lauren Ross has missed just one of her last 47 free throws dating back to the fourth quarter of the IU Indy game on December 11.
Super Sydney
In league play, Sydney Freeman averaged 11.5 points per game and is shooting 42.9 percent from the floor (87-of-203) and 36.5 percent from 3-point range (31-of-85).
In The Polls...
Purdue Fort Wayne was ranked No. 25 in the most recent CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25. The Mastodons have received votes in every poll since November 12, but moved into the rankings for the first time in program history on January 14 at No. 18. They reached as high as No. 15 in the poll.
Rankings Respect
Per the NET and Bart Torvik, Purdue Fort Wayne has a national ranking of 90 and 93, respectively.
Home Sweet Gates
The Mastodons are 13-1 at home this season. In its home games this season, Purdue Fort Wayne is scoring 78.2 points per game and has an average margin of victory of 23.5 points per game. The Mastodons are shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from 3-point range in Fort Wayne.
Money Millie
Amellia Bromenschenkel scored in double-figures in 15 Horizon League games this season, averaging 11.6 points per league game.
Career-Bests For Freezy
Sydney Freeman is shooting 43.3 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from 3-point range, both of which are career-best marks. Her mark of 62 steals is also a career-best.
Thief!
Sydney Freeman is third in the Horizon League and top-100 nationally with 62 steals this season.
Nope!
Jazzlyn Linbo is fifth in the league and top-150 nationally with 1.12 blocks per game this season.
League Leaders
Purdue Fort Wayne leads the Horizon League in scoring margin (16.7), points per game (75.8), steals per game (9.9), 3-pointers taken and made per game (24.8, 9.2), 3-point percentage (36.9), 3-point defense (29.3), turnover margin (6.58), turnovers forced per game (19.06) and bench points per game (22.9). All of those figures outside of 3-point defense are top-50 marks in the country.
Lively Lineup
Lauren Ross, Amellia Bromenschenkel, Audra Emmerson and Sydney Freeman have started all 31 games this season.
Magic Numbers 70 and 80
Under head coach Maria Marchesano, the Mastodons are 45-8 when they score 70 points or more and 19-3 when they hit 80.
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne advanced to the semifinal of the Barbasol Horizon League Basketball Championship with a 64-50 win over Wright State.
Coming Up
With a victory on Monday, the Mastodons would play the winner of Green Bay/Robert Morris at noon on Tuesday for a chance at their first league championship and NCAA Division I Tournament berth.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
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