The Purdue North Central basketball team concluded their season by falling to Judson College 73-62 in the second round of the CCAC Tournament Thursday night in Elgin .

The Panthers, the number six seed, finished the season with an overall record of 7-25 while Judson, the number two seed, improved to 20-10

PNC, fresh off their first-ever CCAC Tournament victory, continued their hot play and gave Judson fits in the first half. Judson managed to edge ahead 31-26 at the break.

However, the Panthers tied the game with nine minutes to play and kept the game within reach the entire way until the very end.

Terry Polk had 18 points and nine rebounds and Andre Jones added 13 points to lead the Panthers. Four players reached double figures for Judson, who was led by Dewayne Robinson's 17 points.

Overall, Judson knocked down 19 of 29 free throws while PNC managed to connect on 10 of 16 attempts. Judson also out-rebounded the Panthers 40-31 and forced 22 Panther turnovers.

Judson will now advance to the championship game and take on number one seed, Cardinal Stritch, in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Purdue North Central basketball made history Tuesday night at the Meyer Sports Complex in Deerfield , IL . The Panthers upset Trinity International 69-65 to win their first-ever postseason tournament game.

The Trojans stormed out to an early 13-3 lead, before PNC responded with a stifling defensive effort.  The Panthers went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 15 and took the lead for good at 17-15. 

The Panthers stayed hot and held a 34-21 lead at the half, holding TIU to a 7 for 28 shooting effort in the first half. 

Trinity responded with a 6-0 run to start the second half to cut the lead to 34-27. TIU chipped away at the lead and eventually tied the game at 62 with 2:32 remaining in the contest on Chad West's 3-pointer. However, the Panthers hit 5 of 6 free throws in the waning minutes to seal the 4-point victory.

The Panthers were led by Terry Polk's 22 points and Brian Bogus' season-high 18 points. Matt Martinez added 12 points, connecting on three of four from beyond the arc.

Four Trojans scored in double figures, led by Josh Edmon's 15 points.  Jared Keiffer came off the bench to pour in 14 while Chad Reilly scored 13 and Levi Arnold added 12. 

A big difference in the game came at the free throw line. PNC connected on an impressive 21 of 23 attempts while the Trojans made just six of their 13 attempts. Furthermore, the Panthers made nine of 10 free throws down the stretch, including six straight by Bogus.

The win moved PNC to 7-24 overall while Trinity fell to 15-16 overall. The Panthers will travel to Judson College on Thursday for second round action. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00p.m. The winner will player either Calumet College or Cardinal Stritch at a site to be determined.  

The PNC basketball team dropped their last regular season game to Trinity International 74-61 Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-24 overall and 2-8 in the CCAC, while Trinity improved to 15-15 and 5-5.

The Panthers fell behind early before rallying to tie the score at 34 at halftime. However, Trinity responded by starting the second half with a 12-0 run to gain control of the game.

PNC was led by Terry Polk's 22 points and Andre Jones' 13 points. Trinity International had four players reach double figures and was led by Josh Edmond's 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Both teams now await the final conference standings to determine who they will play in the season-ending CCAC Tournament starting Tuesday. There is a good chance the two teams could meet again as PNC holds the six seed while Trinity could clinch the three seed, depending on later results. The number one and two seed receive first round byes in the single elimination tournament.

The Purdue North Central basketball team fell to the Moody Bible Institute Tuesday night in Michigan City by the score of 66-56. The Panthers dropped to 6-23 following the non-conference loss, while the Archers improved to 12-7.

The Panthers started out slow and fell behind 12-3 before hitting their stride. By halftime PNC had narrowed the gap to just three points, trailing 28-25 as both teams struggled from the field.

The second half saw more sloppy play by the Archers, who committed a whopping 26 turnovers. But a cold shooting night by the Panthers helped MBI maintain their lead.

Overall, PNC made 23 of 61 shots from the field (37.7%) while Moody Bible knocked down 27 of 55 (49.1%). The Panthers also connected on just seven of 14 free throws and missed several down the stretch that could have made the difference in the outcome.

However, Moody Bible's Joshua Flint was the real difference in the game as he accumulated 30 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Larry Rose added 12 points for the Archers and Brian Filyes chipped in with 10 points.

The Panthers were led by Terry Polk's 17 points, 13 rebounds and six steals. Andre Jones added 13 points and Steve Fox contributed 10 points.

The Panthers play again this Saturday when they host Trinity International at 3 p.m. in their final regular season game.

The Purdue North Central basketball team fell 94-80 to Cardinal Stritch University Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-22 overall and 2-7 in the CCAC, while Stritch improved to 21-7 and 7-1.

PNC jumped out to an early lead at 22-13 before Stritch closed the half with a strong run to take a 42-35 lead at the break.

The Wolves expanded their lead early in the second half before PNC closed to 12 with about seven minutes to play. However, Stritch was able to maintain their advantage the rest of the way for the victory.

The Panthers had five players in double figures and were led by Terry Polk's 23 points and eight rebounds. Jeremy McCelos and Matt Martinez had 14 points apiece, while Andre Jones added 12 points and Drew Dixon contributed 11 points.

Cardinal Stritch had four players reach double digits and was led by Marquelle Joyner's 31 points and nine rebounds. Leo Moran had 19 points, Ronald Bell 17 points and 11 rebounds and Antonio Santos added 10 points for the Wolves.

The Panthers kept the game close by connecting on 19 of 24 free throws, but in the end, Joyner was just too much.

It was the third meeting between the two schools this year, with Stritch taking all three. The Panthers lost 69-63 in the Clarke College Holiday Tournament on December 29th, and also fell 71-62 on January 21 st in Milwaukee .

The Panthers play again this Tuesday when they host Moody Bible Institute at 7 p.m. at the Scholl Center.

The Purdue North Central men's basketball team lost to Judson College 67-62 on Wednesday night in Elgin , IL . With the defeat, the Panthers fell to 6-21 and 2-6 in conference play.

The Panthers battled the Eagles (16-10, 3-4) all night and the contest went down to the wire. With four minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers trailed by 17 points. However, a 14-2 run by PNC was not enough as the Eagles hung on for the victory.

The Panthers posted four players in double figures with Terry Polk and Andre Jones leading the offensive attack. Polk recorded a double-double scoring 16 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Jones scored 16 points as well while Drew Dixon chipped in with 12 points and Steve Fox added 10 points in the defeat.

PNC connected on 25 of 63 shots from the field, but struggled from behind the 3-point arc, converting on just one of eight from long range.

Judson College posted four plays in double figures as well with Steven Djuric leading the way with 16 points. The Eagles shot a respectable six-of-17 from 3-point land and shot 29-59 from the field overall.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped a 78-57 decision to Trinity Christian Saturday night in Palos Heights , IL . The loss dropped the Panthers to 6-20 overall and 2-5 in the CCAC.

Overall, the Panthers connected on 23 of 59 shots and four of 10 three-pointers, while making seven of 12 free throws. The Trolls knocked down 31 of 66 attempts, six of 20 from beyond the arc and 13 of 18 free throws. PNC was out-rebounded 46-28.

Individually, the Panthers were led by Jeremy Mc Celos who had 14 points and eight rebounds. Terry Polk was the only other Panther in double figures with 11 points.

Trinity Christian had three players reach double figures and was led by Lawrence Weller's 16 points.

PNC travels to Elgin on Tuesday to take on Judson at 7:30 in another CCAC contest. The Panthers defeated Judson 80-77 on January 18 th.

The PNC basketball team rebounded from an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Calumet College of St. Joseph 65-59 Wednesday evening at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . The Panthers improved to 6-19 overall and 2-4 in the CCAC, while the Crimson Wave fell to 10-15 and 2-4.

The Panthers stifling defense kept them in the game in the first half as they were ice cold from the field.

In the second half the Panthers were firing on all cylinders and outscored Calumet 44-30 for the decisive victory.

Andre Jones led a solid team effort for PNC with 14 points and nine rebounds. Steve Fox played one of his strongest games of the year and contributed 12 points and six rebounds. Terry Polk and Jeremy McCelos added 10 points each while Drew Dixon and Matt Martinez chipped in nine and eight points respectively to lead the balanced attack.

Mike Oppland had a game-high 26 points for Calumet while Tom Radtke added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Panthers play again this Saturday at 3 p.m. verses Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights , IL.

Trinity International defeated the visiting Panthers of Purdue University North Central Saturday night in Deerfield , IL by the score of 74-58. The loss dropped PNC to 5-19 overall and 1-4 in the CCAC while the Trojans improved to 12-12 and 3-2.

Trinity was only up 32-30 at the break but made 22 of 27 free throws overall compared to just one of 13 for the Panthers for the difference in the game. Another key element of the game had the Trojans with a 42-28 rebounding margin.

Drew Dixon led three Panthers in double digits with 16 points on seven of 14 shooting from the floor. Terry Polk added 12 points and Matt Martinez contributed 11 points.

Josh Edmon led Trinity International with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Bobby Brown added 20 points.

The Panthers play again this Wednesday when they host Calumet College of St. Joseph (10-14, 2-3) at 7:30 at the Scholl Center in Michigan City in another CCAC match-up.

The Purdue North Central men's basketball team traveled to Cardinal Stritch in Milwaukee on Saturday night and were defeated 71-62. With the loss, the Panthers fell to 5-18 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Cardinal Stritch improved to 16-6 overall and 3-0 in the CCAC.

The Panthers had to battle each possession trying to contain a much bigger Cardinal Stritch squad as the Wolves out-rebounded the Panthers 45-31. The Panthers connected on 24 of 59 (.407) field goal attempts while Cardinal Stritch shot a respectable 31 of 68 (.456) from the field.

Senior Drew Dixon led the offensive attack for the Panthers as he connected on 9 of 18 shots and recorded a team-high 25 points. Freshman Andre Jones chipped in with 15 points and recorded 3 steals while Terry Polk pulled down 12 boards for the Panthers.

Cardinal Stritch had a balanced offensive attack registering four players in double figures. Marquelle Joyner poured in 23 points and Antonio Santos scored 14 points to lead the way. Linnie Balfour had a game-high 5 steals while Ronald Bell recorded 14 rebounds for the Wolves.

Purdue North Central will travel to Trinity International University on Saturday night to take on the Trojans. TIU is 11-11 on the year and currently second in conference with a 2-1 record.

The Purdue North Central basketball team ended their nine game losing streak with a thrilling 80-77 victory over Judson College on Wednesday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City .

The Panthers, who picked up their first home victory of the year in nine attempts, improved to 5-17 overall and 1-2 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference while Judson fell to 10-8 and 0-2.

The Panthers trailed by 16 points with seven minutes left in the game before rallying for the improbable come-from-behind victory. PNC trailed 77-76 with 16.9 seconds remaining with Judson heading to the free throw line for two shots. However, the Panthers caught a break when Judson missed both opportunities.

After a clock malfunction, PNC in-bounded the ball to Jeremy Mc Celos with 12 seconds left in the game. Mc Celos drove to the free throw line and caught nothing but net on a pull-up jumper to give the Panthers the lead. After Judson missed on their chance to tie the game, the Panthers made two free throws with .1 seconds left to ice the game.

Prior to Judson expanding their lead to 16 points, the game had been close throughout, with PNC trailing 44-41 at halftime.

Overall, the Panthers shot 30 of 76 (39.5%) from the field while Judson made 32 of 66 attempts (48.5%). PNC made 15 of 22 free throws while Judson dropped in seven of 11. Both teams shot well from beyond the arc with the Eagles making six of 12 and the Panthers five of 13. The Panthers controlled the boards with a 47-39 margin and committed 21 turnovers but forced 26 from Judson.

Individually, Drew Dixon led PNC with 21 points, eight rebounds and six steals. Terry Polk had a big game as well with 15 points and 15 rebounds while Andre Jones added 19 points and eight rebounds. Mc Celos contributed nine points, five rebounds and six assists.

Judson had four players in double figures and was led by Ilija Bojanic's 19 points and seven rebounds.

The Panthers play again this Saturday when they travel to Milwaukee to take on Cardinal Stritch at 7 p.m. in a CCAC show down.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped an 88-67 decision to visiting Trinity Christian Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-17 overall and 0-2 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, while the Trolls improved to 7-12 and 1-1.

The two teams were evenly matched for much of the first half before the Trolls went on a 17-7 run to make it 43-29 at halftime.

Trinity Christian expanded their lead to over 20 points before PNC responded with a run to get to within nine points with 10 minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Trolls responded with a run of their own for the final margin.

The Panther were led by Jeremy Mc Celos who had 14 points and three steals. Terry Polk contributed 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds while Nate Mrozinski added 11 points.

Trinity Christian had four players reach double figures and were led by Lawrence Weller's 19 points.

The statistics were evenly matched across the board, with the exception of free throws and field goal percentage. Trinity knocked down 20 of 26 free throws and made 58.8% (30 of 51) of their field goals, while PNC connected on 11 of 17 free throws and made 38.5% (25 of 65) of their shots from the floor.

The Panthers play again this Wednesday when they host Judson College at 7:30 p.m. Judson enters at 10-7 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener 83-70 to Calumet College of St. Joseph Wednesday night in Hammond .

The Panthers trailed by four points at halftime and entered the final six minutes of the contest with a tie score. However, the Crimson Wave ended the game with a strong run for the difference in the game.

Terry Polk led the Panthers with 23 points while Jeremy Mc Celos added 17 points and Drew Dixon contributed 15 points. The Crimson Wave had four players in double figures and was led by Ty Radke's 20 points and 17 rebounds.

PNC plays again this Saturday when they host Trinity Christian at 3 p.m. in another CCAC match-up.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped their seventh straight game Saturday afternoon after falling to Purdue Calumet 70-59 in Hammond , IN.

The Panthers (4-15) only trailed 33-28 at halftime and kept the game close the entire way until they had to foul at the end.

PNC shot 43% (25 of 58) from the field, made five of 18 three-point attempts and connected on four of nine free throw opportunities. Purdue Calumet finished 28 of 55 from the field (51%), made three of 12 from beyond the arc and knocked down 11 of 14 free throws.

The statistics were evenly balanced throughout with the exception of rebounding, where Calumet grabbed 35 caroms compared to 28 for the Panthers. Otherwise, both teams had 14 assists, while PNC committed 12 turnovers compared to Calumet 's 13.

Individually, Jeremy McCelos led PNC with 15 points, while Andre Jones added 13 and Terry Polk contributed 12. Polk also led the Panther with nine rebounds.

The Peregrines also had three players in double figures and were led by Thomas Mosley's 19 points and five steals.

The Panthers play again this Wednesday when they travel back to Hammond to take on Calumet College of St. Joseph at 7 p.m. It is the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener for both schools.

The Purdue North Central basketball team was defeated 104-57 by Indiana University Southeast Wednesday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City .

The Panthers fell to 4-14 overall with their sixth straight loss, while the Grenadiers, ranked 16 th in NAIA Division II, moved to 14-1 overall.

IU Southeast jumped out to a 49-25 halftime lead by connecting on 11 of 17 three-point attempts in the early going. They shot 55% from the field overall in the first half, but incredibly, made 65% of their shots from beyond the arc.

The Grenadiers continued their torrid pace in the second half and shot 60%. This time they stuck to the more traditional way of scoring and knocked down 22 of 37 attempts while making two of five from long range.

For the game IU Southeast connected on 58% (38 of 66) of their shots overall from the field and made all 15 of their free throw attempts. The Grenadiers also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Panthers 44-23, and forced 22 PNC turnovers.

Individually, Andre Jones led the way for PNC with 13 points while Nate Mrozinski chipped in with 11 points and three steals.

IU Southeast had five players in double figures and was led by Ty Crone's 25 points and Vashon Miller's 22 points. Crone connected on all six of his three-pointers and Miller added a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Panthers play again this Saturday when they play at Purdue Calumet in Hammond, IN. Tip-off is scheduled for 1p.m. The two teams matched up earlier this season with Calumet taking away an 86-54 victory on December 17 th in Michigan City.

The Purdue North Central men's basketball team lost their final contest at the Clark College Holiday Tournament 86-68 to Buena Vista Friday afternoon in Dubuque, Iowa. With the loss, the Panthers dropped their fifth consecutive game and now stand at 4-13 on the season.

The Panthers jumped out to an early 11-9 lead in the first six minutes of the game, but from there, Buena Vista took over the contest. The Beavers shot lights-out from the field connecting on 34 of 51 field goal attempts and nine of 18 from 3-point land. PNC hit on just 25 of 66 shots from the field.

Junior Matt Martinez continued to be the offensive spark as of late for the Panthers as he scored a game-high 22 points verses Buena Vista. Martinez connected on seven of 11 field goals and dished out a team-high 4 assists for the Panthers. Junior Jeremy McCellos continued to improve with each game on his offensive skills as he chipped in with 18 points in just 27 minutes of action. He was four of six shooting from behind the arc. Freshman Andre Jones pulled down a team-high 11 boards in the loss for the Panthers.

For the Beavers, Rahn Franklin was perfect from the field hitting on six-of-six and recorded 17 points in the contest. Andre Wagner and Jesse Schmidt pitched in with 17 points as well for the Beavers who improved their record to 3-7 on the season.

The pre-conference schedule doesn't get any easier for the Panthers as #16th ranked Indiana University Southeast rolls into town on Wednesday to square off against PNC. IUSE is riding a seven game winning streak and is sporting a respective 13-1 record on the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Scholl Center.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped a closely contested 69-63 decision to Cardinal Stritch University Thursday afternoon at the Clarke College Holiday Tournament in Dubuque , IA. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-12 while Stritch improved to 10-5.

PNC will play in the 7 th place game tomorrow morning at 11:30 a.m. verses the loser of Grace College (IN) and Buena Vista University (IA). Cardinal Stritch will play the winner at 3:45 p.m. for 5 th place.

The Panthers played an inspired second half behind Matt Martinez to turn a 40-28 halftime deficit into a one-point game at 62-61 with 3:14 to go. But Stritch ended the contest with a seven to two run for the difference.

Martinez led PNC with 22 points, connecting on six of 12 field goal attempts and nine of 11 free throws. Terry Polk was the only other Panther to reach double figures with 14 points. Drew Dixon added 12 rebounds for PNC.

The team statistics were nearly identical across the board with Stritch managing to sink four additional free throws and one additional field goal.

After PNC returns from the tournament, their next game will be on January 4 th when they host Indiana University Southeast at 3 p.m. at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

After a six day layoff, the Purdue North Central Men's basketball team traveled to Dubuque, Iowa, to participate in the Clarke College Holiday Tournament. On Tuesday night, the Panthers played host school Clarke College and lost, 92-55. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-11 and was their third consecutive defeat.

Drew Dixon had a solid game for the Panthers shooting five of 13 from the field and finished with 14 points. In his second game of action for PNC, Andre Jones scored 11 points and had two steals.

Point guard Jeremy McCelos earned his first start of the year and answered the challenge by hitting on four of eight field goals and tallying 11 points. McCellos also recorded a team-high four steals on the night. Terry Polk grabbed seven rebounds for the Panthers.

Clarke College dominated the boards as the Crusaders out-rebounded the Panthers 48 to 30. The Panthers were cold from the field, hitting on 33.9% of their shots. A combined 45 turnovers were committed in the contest by both teams.

Clarke College had a balanced scoring attack as five players reached double figures in points. Brian Harris netted 16 points and Grant Cirks scored 15 points respectively for the Crusades who improved their record to 5-6.

Purdue North Central will have their hands full with their next opponent in Cardinal Stritch (9-5) on Thursday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

In a rare weekday afternoon start, the Purdue North Central Panthers fell to Tri-State University 79-74 Tuesday at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . PNC fell to 4-10 while the Thunder improved to 4-5. The game started at 3 p.m. due to both teams being on semester break.

The Thunder stormed out to a 23-10 lead midway through the first half before the Panthers answered back with a 15-0 run to make it 25-23. But Tri-State gradually pulled back ahead and took a 47-36 lead into the break.

PNC battled back in the second half and closed to within four points with possession of the ball before a costly turnover hurt them.

Tri-State had five players in double figures and was led by Tony Benford's 17 points. Maurice Brookins added 15 points, Derrick Graham contributed 12 points while Mitch Williams and Andre Patrick chipped in 11 each.

The Panthers had three players in double figures and were led by Andre Jone's 21 points and 12 rebounds in his season debut. Chris Williams also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards while Nate Mrozinski added 14 points, including four three-pointers. Jeremy McCelos led the team with seven assists.

The team statistics were relatively even, with PNC connecting on 28 of 64 shots (44%) and Tri-State knocking down 28 of 61 (46%) attempts. The Panthers finished 14 of 21 from the line and with 42 rebounds while the Thunder finished 16 of 23 from the line and had 36 rebounds. PNC committed 13 turnovers and had 10 steals while Tri-State had 16 turnovers and seven steals.

The Panthers won't play again until December 27 th at the Clarke College Holiday Tournament in Dubuque, Iowa.

Purdue North Central's two game winning streak came to a screeching halt Saturday afternoon as the Panthers fell to Purdue University Calumet 86-54. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-9 overall while the Peregrines improved to 5-7.

Purdue North Central jumped out to an early 11-4 lead before PUC responded with a 18-0 run. PNC went nearly eight minutes without a basket during this stretch before Brian Bogus ended it with a three-pointer.

The Panthers then fell behind 34-17 before an 8-0 run made it 34-25. However, the Peregrines responded with a 9-0 run to end the half with a 41-23 lead.

The second half also belonged to PUC as they outscored PNC 45-31 for the final tally.

The bigger Peregrines out-rebounded the Panthers 40-23 while both teams committed several turnovers (PNC - 20 and PUC - 24).

Yet, the difference in the game was the red-hot shooting of the Peregrines, who shot an amazing 69% from the floor. PUC was 14 of 21 in the first half (66.7%) and an even better 17 of 24 (70.8%) in the second half. The Panthers had an off night connecting on just 21 of 62 shots (34%).

The Peregrines also got to the line more often, knocking down 19 of 26 attempts while the Panthers made seven of 10.

Minuyard Wheeler led four Peregrines in double figures with 22 points and seven rebounds. Steve Polak added 18 points and finished seven of seven from the field, including two for two from beyond the arc.

Bogus led the way for PNC with 14 points while Matt Martinez added 13 points.

The Panthers play again this Tuesday when they host Tri-State at 3 p.m., an early start due to both teams being on semester break. The two teams matched up earlier this season with Tri-State coming out on top 84-76.

The Purdue North Central basketball team won two games this weekend to win the Indiana University South Bend Classic.

The Panthers defeated Crossroads Bible College 98-66 on Friday night before knocking of the hosts, IUSB, 84-71 on Saturday afternoon.

Against Crossroads, PNC jumped out to a 52-33 halftime lead and never looked back as they cruised to an easy victory.

The Panthers shot 48% from the field (40 of 84) and out-rebounded Crossroads by a staggering 56-28 margin. PNC's pressure defense forced 22 turnovers and accumulated 13 steals.

Individually, Chris Williams led the way with 20 points and 8 rebounds while Kevin Potchen added a season high 19 points on nine of 13 shooting. Nate Mrozinski added 17 points, including five of 10 from three-point range, and Steve Fox added 13 points.

On Saturday PNC fell behind 15-6 early and trailed 37-27 before controlling the rest of the game. The Panthers used an 8-0 run to make the score 37-35 at halftime.

After some back and forth action that had the game tied at 50, the Panthers distanced themselves from IUSB with a 34-21 run to end the game.

Overall, the Panthers were red-hot from the floor finishing 27 of 47 (57%) while knocking down 26 of a whopping 40 free throw attempts. PNC also out-rebounded the taller IUSB team 30-29 while committing just nine turnovers.

Drew Dixon led PNC with an impressive 23 points on eight of 11 shooting from the field. Terry Polk added 13 points and nine rebounds, Williams contributed 11 points and Matt Martinez chipped in 10 points. Jeremy McCelos came off the bench and added nine points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes.

The Panthers play again this Saturday at 3p.m. when they host Purdue Calumet at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

The Purdue North Central Panthers dropped a 79-57 decision to visiting St. Xavier University Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center of Marquette High School in Michigan City . The loss, the Panthers third straight, dropped PNC to 2-8 while the Cougars improved to 8-4.

St. Xavier jumped out to an early lead midway through the first half and expanded the lead to 48-28 by halftime. The Panthers came out with more fire in the second half but were unable to overcome the large deficit.

PNC continued to struggle from the free throw line (56% for the season), connecting on 6 of 14 shots, while the Cougars made 21 of 25 attempts. The Panthers were also out-rebounded 39-22 overall and committed 17 turnovers.

Chris Williams led the way for PNC with 16 points and seven rebounds. No other Panther reached double figures.

The Cougars had four players reach double figures and were led by Jason Genova's 18 points, including three for three from beyond the arc. Mike Brown added 16 points and was three of four from three-point territory.

The Panthers play again on December 9 th at 6:30 p.m. in the Indiana University South Bend Tournament verses Crossroads Bible College.

The PNC Panthers hit the road Wednesday night and fell to host Grace College by the score of 73-63 in Winona Lake, IN.

The Panthers struggled from the free throw line (7 of 17, including several front ends while in the bonus) and committed 22 turnovers for the difference in the game. Both teams were nearly identical in all other major categories.

Leading the way for PNC was junior Chris Williams with 22 points (10 of 13 from the field) and seven rebounds. Fellow junior Nate Mrozinski added 15 points on six of 11 shooting. Sophomore Kevin Potchen added a season-high nine points off the bench.

Grace College had three players reach double figures and were led by Marcus Moore's 18 points.

The Panthers play again this Saturday when they host St. Xavier at 3p.m. at the Scholl Center of Marquette High School in Michigan City . The Cougars enter with a 7-4 record, including a victory over the University of Illinois at Chicago, a NCAA, Division I program.

Purdue University North Central fell to St. Joseph 's College ( Rensselaer , IN ) 97-70 Tuesday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City. The loss drops the Panthers to 2-6 overall while the Pumas improved to 4-0.

St. Joseph 's showed why they are expected to be one of the top teams in the difficult Great Lakes Valley Conference (NCAA, Division II) this year by storming out to a 51-30 halftime lead.

The Pumas jumped out to an early 9-0 lead and never looked back as all 17 players saw action with 11 reaching the scoring column.

The Panthers were led by Terry Polk who had 22 points and Nate Mrozinski who added 13 points.

St. Joseph 's controlled all phases of the game as they shot 63% from the floor and out- rebounded PNC 47-27.

PNC continues their difficult schedule Wednesday night verses Grace College before returning home Saturday for another difficult game verses St. Xavier University of Chicago at 3 p.m.

The Purdue North Central basketball team moved their record to 2-5 after finishing third in the Tri-State 6 th Man Tournament this weekend in Angola , IN.

The Panthers dropped another overtime thriller in the opener to the host, before rebounding with a victory over Indiana Tech in the consolation game.

In the first game verses Tri-State on Friday night the Panthers fell 84-76 in overtime. PNC was led by junior Nate Mrozinski who shot 9 for 15 from behind the arc and finished with 33 points.  Mrozinski started off the night shooting the lights out of Hershey Hall sinking 6 of his 8 three-point attempts in the first half, before adding 11 second half points. Sophomore Terry Polk added 13 points, senior Steve Fox chipped in with 10 points and junior Chris Williams had eight points and 11 rebounds.

The Thunder (1-0) was led by a balanced attack with four starters in double figures. Junior Justin Guy led the scoring with 19 points, senior Maurice Brookins added 17 points, senior Micah Williams contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and the fourth Thunder player to reach double digits was sophomore Andre Patrick with 11 points.

After Tri-State held a 40-37 lead at the half and PNC outscored the Thunder 35-32 in the second half, the overtime period was all Tri-State as they outscored the Panthers 12-4.  Guy stepped up his play for the extra period and scored 8 of his 19 points in the overtime.  He made three crucial buckets and two free-throws to seal the victory for TSU.

In the Third-place game, the Panthers recovered for a 92-83 victory over Indiana Tech (2-4). The game was tied at halftime but PNC outscored Tech 51-42 in the second half for the final margin. Tech had dropped an earlier decision to Taylor College , the eventual champion, 70-43.

The Panthers were led by Polk with 24 points, including an impressive 12 of 13 effort from the field. Junior Matt Martinez poured in 20 points (5/5 from the floor, 9/11 on free throws), Williams added 13 points, Mrozinski had 12 points and senior Drew Dixon contributed 10 points. Indiana Tech also had balanced scoring with five players in double figures, led by Maurice Benson's 16 points.

Tri-State University lost in the championship game 71-57 to Taylor University .  Taylor University is off to a superb start with a 6-0 record. 

Taylor 's Eric Ford earned MVP honors for the tournament.  Also named to the All-Tournament team were Doug Bell of Taylor, Thomas McDowell of Indiana Tech, Mrozinski of Purdue North Central, and Williams and Guy of Tri-State.

The Purdue North Central Panthers dropped a 97-89 overtime thriller to the University of Illinois Springfield Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . The Panthers dropped to 1-4 overall while the Prairie Stars moved to 3-1.

The game was a non-stop track event from the tip as both teams looked to play up-tempo basketball. Springfield pulled away early before PNC's Nate Mrozinski connected on five three-pointers to move the Panthers ahead, 46-42 at the half.

The Panthers held the lead for the majority of the second half before UIS pulled ahead 76-75. But the Panthers regained the lead and eventually pulled ahead 84-80 with 10 seconds to go. A free throw by Springfield cut the lead to three, and when the second free throw missed the Prairie Stars grabbed the rebound and put it back in to make it 84-83.

With just over six seconds to play, Mrozinski made one of two free throws to give the Panthers a 85-83 lead. After a timeout, Springfield drove the length of the court and attempted a last second shot to tie the game. The shot rattled out but the Prairie Stars tipped in the rebound at the horn to send it in to overtime.

Springfield outscored PNC 12-4 in the overtime period for the final margin.

The Panthers were led by the all-around play of guard Drew Dixon, who finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals. Mrozinski added 20 points, including a 6 of 12 effort from beyond the arc, and Chris Williams added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Terry Polk chipped in with 14 points and 9 rebounds while Matt Martinez finished with 10 points. Six players reached double figures for the Prairie Stars, who were led by Chris Collins'15 points and 10 rebounds.

PNC out-rebounded their opponents 57-48 but committed 21 turnovers against the pressing Prairie Stars. Both teams struggled from the charity stripe, with PNC making 18 of 29 attempts and Springfield 16 of 30.

The Panthers next game is Friday verses Tri-State at 8 p.m. in the Tri-State Tournament. They will either play Saturday at 3 p.m. in the championship game or at 1 p.m. in the consolation game verses Indiana Tech or Taylor.

The Purdue North Central Panthers lost a hard-fought 74-67 decision to the Goshen College Maple Leafs Wednesday night at Marquette High School 's Scholl Center in Michigan City . The Panthers moved to 1-3 on the season while Goshen improved to 3-1.

The teams were evenly matched at the end of the first half at 30-30 as both teams shot 40% from the floor.

The second half was a different story as the Panthers held Goshen to a 40% shooting effort while knocking down 58% of their own shots. But the Maple Leafs connected on 16 of 23 free throws while the Panthers made five of just seven attempts.

Another key difference in the game was Goshen 's second-chance opportunities as they out-rebounded PNC 38-29, including a 16-7 edge on offensive rebounds.

Drew Dixon led the Panthers with 22 points and five assists. The senior guard connected on four of five three-pointers and nailed six of eight free throw attempts. Adam Dobrzeniecki contributed 16 points and five rebounds before leaving the game with an injury. Steve Fox was the only other Panther in double figures with 10 points. Goshen 's Eric Walsh led all scorers with 25 points.

The Panthers play at home again this Saturday verses Illinois-Springfield at 3 p.m.

The Purdue North Central Panthers dropped two road games this weekend against Campbellsville University in Kentucky and Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, Indiana to move their record to 1-2 overall.

On Friday night the Panthers fell 89-66 to Campbellsville despite a balanced scoring effort. Four players reached double figures, including Nate Mrozinski (17 points), Terry Polk (15), Shallun Culp (10) and Adam Dobrzeniecki (10). Mrozinski had the hot hand from three-point range, knocking down five of 11 attempts.

Overall, the Panthers were ice-cold from the floor connecting on just 22 of 62 shots and 6 of 19 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Campbellsville (1-0) finished 32 of 51 from the field, including eight of 15 on three-pointers. The home team also had a decided edge in rebounding, collecting 42 caroms to the Panthers 28.

On Saturday the Panthers tried to rebound against 25 th ranked IU-Southeast (3-0), but came up just short at 63-55.

The Panthers struggled from the floor again (23 of 54) but a solid defensive effort kept them in the game. PNC's stingy defense held Southeast to 20 of 46 shooting, but the Panthers were out-rebounded again 32-22. PNC managed to get to the line just nine times, while the Grenadiers made 19 of 28 attempts.

Individually, Dobrzeniecki was the only Panther to reach double figures with 16 points. Terry Polk led PNC with seven rebounds.

PNC's next game is this Wednesday at 8 p.m. verses Goshen College in the Panthers home opener at the Scholl Center in Michigan City at Marquette High School.

The Purdue North Central Panthers used a balanced attack and defensive pressure to earn a 90-55 blowout victory over Indiana University Northwest Wednesday evening at the Civic Center in Hammond , Indiana . The season-opening victory at the annual Kettle Classic moved PNC to 1-0 while IUN dropped to 0-1.

The Panthers stormed to a 45-24 lead at the half behind a solid defensive effort that forced 17 turnovers and led to a 51% shooting effort from the field due to several lay-ups. PNC limited the RedHawks' offensive efforts and second chance points by controlling the boards as well. IUN took just 19 shots in the first half while the Panthers took 43 as PNC out-rebounded their opponent 22-11.

The second half was more of the same as head coach Grayling Gordon used several different combinations and every player reached double-digit minutes for the Panthers. In fact, fatigue seemed to be a factor as only one player played more than 20 minutes for PNC (Nate Mrozinski, 21:01) while three logged more than 35 minutes for IUN.

Overall, PNC forced 29 turnovers while committing just 14 and out-rebounded IUN 47-30. PNC also had a whopping 21 offensive rebounds while limiting the RedHawks to five. The Panthers finished 42 of 87 from the floor (48%) while IUN connected on 18 of 44 attempts (41%).

Despite the score, IUN made 18 of 27 free throw attempts while PNC went to the line just three times and made one. Finally, the Panthers unselfish ball movement allowed for 28 assists compared to just eight for IUN.

The balanced attack of PNC was led by Terry Polk (17 points and six rebounds), Adam Dobrzeniecki (10 points and 12 rebounds), and Shallun Culp (13 points). Eleven different players scored four points or more for the Panthers.

In the second game of the tournament Calumet College of St. Joseph fell 85-81 to Purdue Calumet in overtime. There is not a championship game. Proceeds from pre-tournament ticket sales went to the Salvation Army.

The Panthers head south this weekend with a double dip, taking on Campbellsville University (12-19 last season) in Kentucky on Friday and IU Southeast (21-7 last year) in New Albany on Saturday.

The Purdue University North Central basketball team tips-off their season November 2nd verses Indiana University Northwest at 6p.m. in the Kettle Classic at the Civic Center in Hammond , IN.

The Panthers began practice on October 1 st with anticipation of a breakout season in Grayling Gordon's fourth year as head coach. Gordon has gradually built the program and has seen the team improve each season with three wins his first year to 10 the past two. Furthermore, the Panthers look to improve in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) after finishing fifth out of six teams last season.

A difficult schedule should help prepare the Panthers for the rigorous conference slate. Prior to the beginning of conference play, PNC will play a loaded schedule, including Campbellsville, IUSE, Goshen , St. Joseph (IN), St. Xavier, IUSB and Purdue Calumet among others. The Panthers will also play in the prestigious Clarke College Holiday Tournament before attacking the CCAC schedule.

Gordon has a nice blend of returning players and new recruits on his 16-man roster. Returning players include Honorable Mention All-American and CCAC Player of the Year, Adam Dobrzeniecki, Honorable Mention All-CCAC Drew Dixon, Steve Fox, Matt Martinez, Jeremy McCelos, Terry Polk, Kevin Potchen and Shallun Culp.

Dobrzeniecki averaged 16.5 points per game and 8.39 rebounds per game last season. Dixon added 12.7 ppg and 5.9 rpg while making the transition to the point guard position last year. Martinez led the team with 90 assists while averaging 6.16 ppg. Polk started 29 games last year and was a consistent performer averaging 8.65 ppg and 4.48 rpg.

Potchen came off the bench to lead the team in three-point field goal percentage (38.1%), while Fox and McCelos both look to return to form after playing half the season last year. McCelos is a defensive stopper and Fox adds another inside presence to Dobrzeniecki. Culp played in 12 games last season, started eight, and averaged 11 ppg, three rpg and knocked down 82% (37/45) of his free throws.

New faces that plan to make an immediate impact are Chris Williams, Nate Mrozinski, Brian Bogus, Nelson Wilder and Chris Cappello. Additional new comers Andre Jones, Scott Adams and Nate Robinson will round out the roster this December.

The Panthers stay on the road throughout their opening week and travel south to Kentucky on Friday November 4 th to face Campbellsville University . Saturday November 5 th , the Panthers face Indiana University South East in New Albany , IN before their home opener November 9 th at 7:30 pm when they host Goshen College at the Scholl Center at Marquette High School in Michigan City , IN.