The Mastodons fought a tough battle in the Horizon League Quarterfinals, but fell short against number one seed Oakland University. The final score was 75-65.
Rasheed Bello finishes with 16 points. One of four 'Dons in double-digts tonight, but the #HLMBB road ends here.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 8, 2024
The Mastodons started the game with a quick lead, but Oakland came back with a 13-0 run with 10:50 left in the first half. PFW cut the lead to 11 at half-time.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 8, 2024
In the second half Oakland largest lead was 23 points. The Mastodons went on a late 14-2 run with 57 seconds left in the game. Quinton Morton-Robertson’s three-pointer cut Oaklands lead to six points.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 8, 2024
Oakland hit clutch free throws to end off the game. The Mastodons had four players with double-digits scoring. Rasheed Bello led with 16 points, Jalen Jackson finished with 15 points, Anthony Roberts had 13 points on the night, and Morton-Robertson put up 10 points.
The Mastodons finished the season 21-12 and Oakland improved to 21-11.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 6, 2024
Halfway through the second half Robert Morris cut the Mastodons lead to five points with a 15-1 run, but around the five minute mark PFW went on a 10-0 run closing out the game. The Mastodons were led by Quinton Morton-Robertson who finished the night with 17 points and Jalen Jackson who had 16 points.
Quinton Morton-Robertson is last night's Toyota Player of the Game
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 3, 2024
The Mastodons were led by senior Anthony Roberts who finished the night with 18 points and seven rebounds. He was also honored prior to the start of the game.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 3, 2024
PFW improves to 20-11 and Robert Morris falls to 10-21. The Mastodons resume play on Tuesday Mar. 5 against Robert Morris for the first game of the Horizon League Tournament. The game will take place at 7 p.m. at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Also available to watch on ESPN+.
The Mastodons lose a close game against the Milwaukee Panthers Sunday Feb. 25. The final score was 96-88. The game consisted of 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 25, 2024
The Panthers went on their own run and tied the game up 74-74 with 8:22 left in the game. Milwaukee held the lead for the remaining seven minutes after their guard Dominic Ham hit a three-pointer.
The Mastodons leading scorer was Rasheed Bello who finished with 21 points shooting seven for 13 from the field. Quinton Morton-Robertson finished with 18 points and Jalen Jackson 16 points.
PFW falls to 18-11 and Milwaukee improves to 15-14. The Mastodons next game is Wednesday Feb. 28 at seven p.m. against Wright State. The game can be watched at Nutter Center and on ESPN+.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 24, 2024
The Mastodons started off hot, leading by 10 points with just five minutes of play. They held Green Bay to just 23 points at the half after one of their baskets was reviewed and overturned during half-time.
All good in Green Bay so far and Anthony Roberts is a big reason why.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 24, 2024
PFW shot 50.8% from the field and held Green Bay to 35% from the field. They also had the Mastodons score 10+ points including guard Jalen Jackson who finished with 17 points with eight for 15 from the field and guard Rasheed Bello with 16 points shooting six for nine from the field.
The Mastodons improve to 18-10 and the Phoenix fall to 17-11. PFW resume play on Sunday, Feb. 25, with a rematch against the Milwaukee Panthers at three p.m. at UWM Panther Arena. The game is also available to watch on ESPN+.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 17, 2024
The Mastodons were led by guard Quinton Morton-Robertson with 24 points. He shot eight for 11 from the field, making five three-pointers. For the year, Morton-Robertson has made 80 three-pointers, making him number seven in program history.
Most single-season made 3-point field goals in program history:
6. 81 – Matt Holba (2016-17) 7. 80 – Quinton Morton-Robertson (2023-24) 8. 78 – Kason Harrell (2016-17) 9. 77 – Bobby Planutis (2022-23) 10. 76 – Eric Wilson (1986-87)#FeelTheRumble#HLMBB
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 17, 2024
The Mastodons held the lead for the entire first half, by 10 points after 20 minutes of play.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 17, 2024
With 10:36 left in the game, the Detroit Mercy cut the lead to four points, but the Mastodons went on a 7-0 run only allowing Detroit to be within nine points for the remainder of the game.
Four Mastodons scored double digits, including Jalen Jackson with 18 points and six assists, Rasheed Bello with 15 points and six rebounds, and Anthony Roberts with 13 points and six rebounds.
The Mastodons improve to 17-10 and Detroit Mercy falls to 1-27. PFW face Green Bay Phoenix on Friday Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at Kress Events Center. The game is also available to watch on ESPN+.
To kick off homecoming, PFW’s Student Activities Board held an event to warm hearts and bodies: Blankets and Bracelets.
The event was held on Feb. 6 and students gathered to tie blankets for charity and make friendship bracelets for themselves. A variety of snacks were offered and a mix of background music and movies kept energies up.
“We just wanted something kind of cozy and fun for homecoming week,” said Elizabeth Lassiter, SAB Chair. “You know, everyone’s starting to come back from break so we wanted to do a kind of event where people could kind of destress and do something for a good cause.”
That cause is the Rescue Mission, a nonprofit dedicated to “provid[ing]…a home for the homeless, food for the hungry and hope for their future,” according to their mission statement.
“Especially with it being really really cold… we want to make sure we take care of our Fort Wayne community and try to lend a helping hand,” said Sydney Coyne, fellow SAB Chair.
The event was a success and the Rescue Mission will be happy to receive the blankets by the students pic.twitter.com/sYR3pgd9Hj
There was a mild sense of surprise among the attendees that they were donating blankets made rather than the students keeping them, but students were given a PFW branded blanket to take home in exchange.
“I did not [know the blankets would be donated] but I’m not upset,” said PFW transfer student Kailani Johnson. “I love giving back to the community, especially because it was at no cost of my own except time.”
Kailani Johnson (Left) and friend Lilly Buchanan (Right) show off their finished blanket
That seemed to be the general opinion among the students. The line to enter wrapped around the corner before the event officially began and students continued to filter in throughout the night. The SAB hosts were pleased with the turnout, especially considering PFW’s large commuter population.
“To see so many students come out for an event after 5 p.m. is really really nice,” Lassiter said.
Lassiter has had her college experience improved by campus events and joined the SAB to spread the positive impact.
“To be able to be one of the people that helps people get out of their dorm, get out of their house and do something fun, it’s actually really fulfilling.”
And for Johnson, it was her first time attending a PFW event and it left a good impression.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 15, 2024
The Mastodons were led by guard Rasheed Bello, who ended the night with 15 points shooting 7-10 from the field.
PFW was down 10 points at half-time, and guard Anthony Roberts closed the half with a three-point buzzer beater. He finished with seven points and five rebounds.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 15, 2024
In the second half, the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead to 13 points. The Mastodons then went on a 21-2 over seven minutes, allowing the Golden Grizzlies only four shot attempts.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) February 15, 2024
After the run, the Mastodons were up by four, but Oakland gained the lead back 62-60 with a minute left in the game. Their guard Jack Gohlke hit a 3-point dagger with 38 seconds left, making the score 65-60.
PFW falls to 16-10 and Oakland University improves to 17-10. The Mastodons are back in action Saturday Feb. 17 against the Detroit Mercy at 1 p.m. The game can be watched at Calihan Hall in Detroit, Michigan, or on ESPN+.
The Mastodons led the match in kills as they had 46 compared to Charleston’s 42. Jon Diedrich led PFW in this stat with 14 kills. In the third set Diedrich reached his 1,000th career kill.
Garret Schnitker led Charleston with 14 kills.
While PFW gathered more kills than Charleston, they also gathered more attack errors. PFW had 21 attack errors while Charleston just had eight.
PFW also struggled with their hitting percent as they hit .248% as a team. Charleston did better in this statistic as they hit .447%.
Charleston had the upper hand in blocks as they had 11 total blocks to PFW’s four. Charleston had 22 block assists and PFW had just six. Charleston was led in this stat by Diego Villafane, Veit Bils, and Will Kimenhour who each had five. PFW was led in blocks by Axel Melendez Watts, Mark Frazier, Carlos Mercado, and Bryce Walker who each had two.
With the win Charleston moves to 18-2 on the season. They are 3-1 in conference play and sit in 2nd in the EIVA. Their next match will be on Tuesday against Alderson Broaddus University.
With the loss PFW falls to 12-9 on the season. They are 3-4 in conference play and sit at 5th in the MIVA.
PFW will have to play another ranked opponent tomorrow as they face off against #9 Loyola Chicago.
The Mastodons had a poor shooting night as they went 38.3% from the field, 28.6% from three and 75.0% from the free throw line. Detroit Mercy shot far better as they went 47.5% from the field, 40.0% from three and 81.3% from the free throw line.
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) March 1, 2023
PFW was led on offense tonight by Bobby Planutis. Planutis led the mastodons with 20 points, one assist, six rebounds and three steals. Detroit Mercy was led by Antoine Davis who had 38 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and four steals.
Detroit had the edge in tonight in rebounds. Detroit had 37 rebounds compared to PFW who had 34. Detroit was led in this stat by Davis who had eight. PFW was led in this stat by Planutis who had six.
With the win Detroit Mercy move on to play in the tournaments second round on Thursday.
With the loss PFW comes to an end.
The Mastodons took a step back this year after last years success. PFW was second in the Horizon League last season and were the regular season champions. This year they fall in the first round of the tournament and end the season 6th in the Horizon League.
