Saturday, January 10
Youngstown, Ohio
2 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
at
Youngstown State
Nika Lokica (credit RMU Athletics)
Mastodons Cold Call Penguins For #HLWBB Game
1/9/2026 2:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball team will visit Youngstown, Ohio this weekend to play a game against the Penguins of Youngstown State. The #HLWBB game will tip at 2 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 10).
Game Day Information
Who: Youngstown State Penguins
When: Saturday, January 10 | 2 PM
Where: Youngstown, Ohio | Beeghly Center
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Youngstown State | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
Youngstown State is 11-5 and 4-2 in Horizon League action. The Penguins had their four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday when Northern Kentucky beat them 61-49 on their home floor. Prior to that, YSU beat Milwaukee, Wright State, Cleveland State and Oakland. YSU has one of the better offenses in the league, averaging 69.4 points this season, but in league play it's been the 56.7 points allowed that has buoyed the Penguins. Casey Santoro has a team-best 11.8 points per game this year.
Series History
Youngstown State leads the series 11-6, but Purdue Fort Wayne has won four of the last five meetings. The Mastodons won the last game in Youngstown 79-56 behind 22 points from Sydney Freeman.
A Win Would...
• Give the Mastodons a 7-11 all-time record against Youngstown State
• Be the fourth win in a row against the Penguins
• Give the 'Dons a 5-4 mark against Youngstown State under Maria Marchesano
Dikembe Wagner
Avery Wagner had four blocks in 15 minutes off the bench at Robert Morris on January 8. Wagner is the first Mastodon to have four blocks off the bench since Jaelencia Williams in 2019 (seven blocks) and the first to do so in 15 minutes or less off the bench in program history. Sh'Toya Sanders had five blocks in 12 minutes in a start in 2019, one week before Williams' seven-block performance.
At Her Bess(t)
Over the last three games, Rylee Bess is averaging 11.0 points per game, shooting 61.1 percent from the floor and 61.5 percent from the 3-point line.
In the Record Books
Alana Nelson's 42.9 single-season 3-point field goal percentage ranks ninth in program history with at least 30 makes. With one more make, she will qualify for second place on the career leaderboard behind just Lauren Ross (47.6, 2024-25).
Triple Trouble
Purdue Fort Wayne has had the top 3-point shooter in the Horizon League in each of the last three seasons.
2025-26 - Alana Nelson - 42.9 percent
2024-25 - Lauren Ross - 47.6 percent
2023-24 - Shayla Sellers - 40.2 percent
Marchesano Mania
Maria Marchesano owns 52 Horizon League wins as the Mastodon head coach. She was the fastest to reach 50 league wins in program history. She needs four more to break into the top-20 in HL wins in league history.
More Maria Madness
Maria Marchesano's 59.1 winning percentage (52-36) in Horizon League contests ranks 13th in league history with a minimum of three seasons. Cleveland State's Chris Kielsmeier is the only active coach with a better mark.
Chasing 2,000
Jordan Reid needs 168 points to reach 2,000 in her career between Purdue Fort Wayne and Indiana Wesleyan.
League Leader
Alana Nelson leads the Horizon League this season in points (296), points per game (17.4), 3-point percentage (42.9), field goals (107), 3-point field goals (39) and minutes per game (34.4). In league play, she leads in points (140), points per game (20.0), field goals (52) and 3-point field goals (16).
Career Points Tracker
Let's take a look at the career scoring numbers for the three former NAIA All-Americans on the roster regardless of level.
Alana Nelson - 2,565 (482 at Northwood, 1,787 at Spring Arbor, 296 at PFW)
Jordan Reid - 1,832 (1,395 at Indiana Wesleyan, 437 at PFW)
Lauren Lee - 1,697 (1,630 at Campbellsville, 67 at PFW)
In the Polls
Purdue Fort Wayne was receiving votes in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 Poll on December 30. The Mastodons spent eight weeks in the Top 25 last season and received votes in all but the first poll of the 2024-25 season.
Vetting Krasovec
Lili Krasovec has 19 free throws makes on her last 21 trips to the charity stripe (90.5 percent).
Lili Love
Lili Krasovec scored a career-high 19 points against Northern Kentucky after going 7-of-11 from the floor. She has scored in double-digits 10 times this season after doing so just twice at Boston College.
Lock In Lili
Lili Krasovec has scored 15+ points six times this season. In those games, she was a combined 34-for-54 (62.9 percent) from the floor and 23-of-26 (88.5 percent) from the free throw line.
Wicked Wagner
On limited attempts off the bench, the 6-foot-4 Avery Wagner is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range (6-of-14).
3-Ball Fun
The Mastodons are 3-1 this season when they hit 10 or more 3-pointers this season. Under Maria Marchesano's leadership, the 'Dons have had 53 such games with a 41-12 record in those games.
Look at Lee!
Through seven Horizon League games, Lauren Lee is second in the HL with 4.3 assists per game. She also has a 2.5 assist to turnover ratio, a league-best.
I'll Take That
Jordan Reid is averaging 2.5 steals per game, which ranks second in the Horizon League and top-70 nationally. If that average holds for a season-long mark, it would be second-best in the program's Division I era and fourth-best overall.
Inside The Arc? Guaranteed Bucket
Lili Krasovec is shooting 64.3 percent from the floor this season (72-for-112). If she qualified for the leaderboard with enough makes, she would be second in the Horizon League in the field goal percentage category. Once she reaches 75 made baskets, she would qualify for the season mark in Mastodon history. Her 64.3 percent would rank first, topping Jazzlyn Linbo's 58.3 from last season.
Last Time Out
Robert Morris beat Purdue Fort Wayne 74-64 on Jan. 8. The Mastodons had double-digit performances from Rylee Bess, Lauren Lee, Alana Nelson and Jordan Reid.
Next Time Up
The Mastodons will take a midweek trip to Green Bay next week (Wednesday, Jan. 14) for a date with the Phoenix.
Game Day Information
Who: Youngstown State Penguins
When: Saturday, January 10 | 2 PM
Where: Youngstown, Ohio | Beeghly Center
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Youngstown State | Horizon League
Know Your Foe
Youngstown State is 11-5 and 4-2 in Horizon League action. The Penguins had their four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday when Northern Kentucky beat them 61-49 on their home floor. Prior to that, YSU beat Milwaukee, Wright State, Cleveland State and Oakland. YSU has one of the better offenses in the league, averaging 69.4 points this season, but in league play it's been the 56.7 points allowed that has buoyed the Penguins. Casey Santoro has a team-best 11.8 points per game this year.
Series History
Youngstown State leads the series 11-6, but Purdue Fort Wayne has won four of the last five meetings. The Mastodons won the last game in Youngstown 79-56 behind 22 points from Sydney Freeman.
A Win Would...
• Give the Mastodons a 7-11 all-time record against Youngstown State
• Be the fourth win in a row against the Penguins
• Give the 'Dons a 5-4 mark against Youngstown State under Maria Marchesano
Dikembe Wagner
Avery Wagner had four blocks in 15 minutes off the bench at Robert Morris on January 8. Wagner is the first Mastodon to have four blocks off the bench since Jaelencia Williams in 2019 (seven blocks) and the first to do so in 15 minutes or less off the bench in program history. Sh'Toya Sanders had five blocks in 12 minutes in a start in 2019, one week before Williams' seven-block performance.
At Her Bess(t)
Over the last three games, Rylee Bess is averaging 11.0 points per game, shooting 61.1 percent from the floor and 61.5 percent from the 3-point line.
In the Record Books
Alana Nelson's 42.9 single-season 3-point field goal percentage ranks ninth in program history with at least 30 makes. With one more make, she will qualify for second place on the career leaderboard behind just Lauren Ross (47.6, 2024-25).
Triple Trouble
Purdue Fort Wayne has had the top 3-point shooter in the Horizon League in each of the last three seasons.
2025-26 - Alana Nelson - 42.9 percent
2024-25 - Lauren Ross - 47.6 percent
2023-24 - Shayla Sellers - 40.2 percent
Marchesano Mania
Maria Marchesano owns 52 Horizon League wins as the Mastodon head coach. She was the fastest to reach 50 league wins in program history. She needs four more to break into the top-20 in HL wins in league history.
More Maria Madness
Maria Marchesano's 59.1 winning percentage (52-36) in Horizon League contests ranks 13th in league history with a minimum of three seasons. Cleveland State's Chris Kielsmeier is the only active coach with a better mark.
Chasing 2,000
Jordan Reid needs 168 points to reach 2,000 in her career between Purdue Fort Wayne and Indiana Wesleyan.
League Leader
Alana Nelson leads the Horizon League this season in points (296), points per game (17.4), 3-point percentage (42.9), field goals (107), 3-point field goals (39) and minutes per game (34.4). In league play, she leads in points (140), points per game (20.0), field goals (52) and 3-point field goals (16).
Career Points Tracker
Let's take a look at the career scoring numbers for the three former NAIA All-Americans on the roster regardless of level.
Alana Nelson - 2,565 (482 at Northwood, 1,787 at Spring Arbor, 296 at PFW)
Jordan Reid - 1,832 (1,395 at Indiana Wesleyan, 437 at PFW)
Lauren Lee - 1,697 (1,630 at Campbellsville, 67 at PFW)
In the Polls
Purdue Fort Wayne was receiving votes in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 Poll on December 30. The Mastodons spent eight weeks in the Top 25 last season and received votes in all but the first poll of the 2024-25 season.
Vetting Krasovec
Lili Krasovec has 19 free throws makes on her last 21 trips to the charity stripe (90.5 percent).
Lili Love
Lili Krasovec scored a career-high 19 points against Northern Kentucky after going 7-of-11 from the floor. She has scored in double-digits 10 times this season after doing so just twice at Boston College.
Lock In Lili
Lili Krasovec has scored 15+ points six times this season. In those games, she was a combined 34-for-54 (62.9 percent) from the floor and 23-of-26 (88.5 percent) from the free throw line.
Wicked Wagner
On limited attempts off the bench, the 6-foot-4 Avery Wagner is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range (6-of-14).
3-Ball Fun
The Mastodons are 3-1 this season when they hit 10 or more 3-pointers this season. Under Maria Marchesano's leadership, the 'Dons have had 53 such games with a 41-12 record in those games.
Look at Lee!
Through seven Horizon League games, Lauren Lee is second in the HL with 4.3 assists per game. She also has a 2.5 assist to turnover ratio, a league-best.
I'll Take That
Jordan Reid is averaging 2.5 steals per game, which ranks second in the Horizon League and top-70 nationally. If that average holds for a season-long mark, it would be second-best in the program's Division I era and fourth-best overall.
Inside The Arc? Guaranteed Bucket
Lili Krasovec is shooting 64.3 percent from the floor this season (72-for-112). If she qualified for the leaderboard with enough makes, she would be second in the Horizon League in the field goal percentage category. Once she reaches 75 made baskets, she would qualify for the season mark in Mastodon history. Her 64.3 percent would rank first, topping Jazzlyn Linbo's 58.3 from last season.
Last Time Out
Robert Morris beat Purdue Fort Wayne 74-64 on Jan. 8. The Mastodons had double-digit performances from Rylee Bess, Lauren Lee, Alana Nelson and Jordan Reid.
Next Time Up
The Mastodons will take a midweek trip to Green Bay next week (Wednesday, Jan. 14) for a date with the Phoenix.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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