Purdue University North Central announces that Kristofer Schnatz is the new head basketball coach. Schnatz, a Panther assistant for the past four seasons, replaces Grayling Gordon who was recently named the head basketball coach at Purdue University Calumet.

As an assistant coach at PNC, Schnatz oversaw many responsibilities, including practice and game coaching, recruiting, scouting and film exchange.

"We are pleased that Kristofer is able to assume the head coaching responsibilities. He is familiar with our program, our University and our student-athletes," said PNC Athletic Director John Weber. "Our program has advanced significantly through the years and we anticipate that Schnatz will continue this trend."

Last season culminated a steady climb as PNC won just three games in 2002-2003 when Gordon took over the struggling program. Gordon, Schnatz and assistant David Garrett, rebuilt the Panther program and led them to their best season in school history last season, recording their first winning record at 15-14, finishing second in the difficult Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Garrett will join Gordon as an assistant at PUC.

"We wish Grayling and David future success and are grateful for their services," said Weber. "They did an excellent job rebuilding the program and representing PNC both on and off the court in a classy manner. I will miss seeing them on a regular basis but look forward to working closely with Kristofer."

Schnatz began coaching upon graduation from college in 1999 and had been part of successful high school programs in New York , Maryland and Indiana . He is from Long Island , New York and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Transportation from the State University of New York Maritime College.

He enjoyed a successful playing career for the Maritime Privateers. He was a three year starter, a team captain by his junior year and led them to their first post-season appearance out of the Skyline Conference.

Schnatz is a captain aboard the Blue Chip Casino vessel in Michigan City . He completed his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University in 2005. Schnatz currently resides in Chesterton, with his wife, Kristen, and two-year-old twin daughters Lia and Taylor and newborn Aybriel.

The Purdue North Central basketball (#2 seed) team lost a 63-59 heartbreaker to Trinity International (#3 seed) Wednesday night in Hammond in the semi-finals of the CCAC Tournament.

The game was hosted by Purdue Calumet since PNC does not have a regulation sized collegiate basketball court. The Panthers normally play at Marquette High School but conference rules state postseason games must be on a regulation court.

The Panthers concluded their best season in the short history of the program by finishing 15-14 overall and 6-4 in conference play, good for second place. The second place standing is also the highest finish for the Panther program.

The game Wednesday was a true heartbreaker as the Trojans scored the last 15 points of the game to overtake the Panthers. Unfortunately, PNC could not convert on numerous field goal opportunities and missed their final six free throw attempts.

The Panthers led from the outset and took a 35-28 lead into the break behind a strong defensive effort. PNC continued to expand on the lead until the final, improbable run by Trinity International.

Overall, PNC connected on 23 of 64 attempts from the field (35.9%), while Trinity made 22 of 52 (42.3%). Both teams struggled from beyond the arc with the Panthers making three of 15 and the Trojans knocking down four of 18. Trinity made 15 of 25 free throws compared to 10 of 17 for PNC. The Trojans also out-rebounded the Panthers 43-34 but committed 18 turnovers to PNC's seven.

Juniors Adam Dobrzeniecki and Terry Polk led the Panthers with 16 points each and added eight and nine rebounds respectively. Senior Jeremy McCelos was the only other Panther to reach double figures with 10 points.

Senior Joshua Edmon, the CCAC Player of the Year, led the Trojans with 23 points and nine rebounds.

The Panthers anticipate returning nearly the entire roster from this season's record-setting club. Aside from McCelos, PNC will also lose senior guard Matt Martinez to graduation.

Trinity International will play Cardinal Stritch in the finals on Saturday. Stritch upset the number one seed, Calumet College of St. Joseph, 81-60 to advance to the championship.

The PNC basketball team will play in the CCAC Tournament on Wednesday after receiving a first-round bye on Monday. The Panthers earned the bye with a second place conference finish and will await Wednesday's opponent along with top seed Calumet College of St. Joseph. The two top teams will wait while the other four battle it out to determine who advances.

PNC will host the winner of Monday night's Trinity International (#3 seed)/Judson (#6) game. CCSJ will host the winner of Cardinal Stritch (#4) and Trinity Christian (#5).

The Panthers will play their game on Wednesday at Purdue Calumet at 7 p.m. Although PNC plays their home games at the Scholl Center of Marquette High School during the regular season, they must play on a regulation college court for the post season. The championship will be played on Saturday, Feb. 24th, and will be hosted by the highest remaining seed.

The winner of the CCAC tournament will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament.

PNC (15-13; 6-4) is shooting for it's first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance after coming off a record setting season. This year the Panthers set the single season wins mark while also earning their highest CCAC finish.

Both PNC and Trinity International finished 6-4 in CCAC play during the regular season, but the Panthers earned the tie breaker. PNC and the Trojans split during the regular season, but the Panthers had the better record in the CCAC starting from the top down.

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped their final game of the regular season to Trinity International by the score of 81-73 Saturday night in Deerfield , IL .

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead behind the hot shooting of junior Adam Dobrzeniecki. However, the Trojans tied the score and raced ahead for a 38-30 halftime lead.

Trinity International maintained their lead for most of the second half and withstood several runs by the Panthers. PNC was able to cut the deficit to six points twice in the second half but were unable to overcome monster nights by Trojans Joshua Edmon and Levi Arnold.

Edmon scored a game high 32 points and connected on all 11 free throw attempts while adding seven rebounds. Arnold scored 19 points and made five of six three-pointers, including several that ended PNC surges.

Dobrzeniecki answered for the Panthers by pouring in 29 points and collecting five rebounds. Senior guard Jeremy McCelos led PNC's comeback attempt in the second half by hitting on four of six three-pointers and finished with 16 points overall. Sophomore forward Dewitt Jackson added 10 points and six rebounds for PNC.

Overall, the Trojans shot 53.2% from the floor (25/47), 50% from beyond the arc (8/16) and 79.3% from the free throw line (23/29). The Panthers finished at 41.5% from the field (27/65), 35% on three-pointers (7/20) and 75% from the line (12/16). The Panthers were out-rebounded 35-30 and were even on turnovers (13 for PNC, 14 for TI).

The Panthers, now 15-13 overall, play again on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the CCAC Tournament against an opponent to be determined. Both PNC and Trinity International (12-17 overall) finished 6-4 in conference play, but the Panthers earned the first round bye due to tiebreakers.

Thanks to a highly charged second half, the Purdue North Central men's basketball team earned a victory against conference rival Cardinal Stritch University, 90-89, Thursday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City .

The win at least temporarily gives PNC sole possession of second place within the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, with one game remaining in the regular season. The win also clinches the number two seed in the CCAC Tournament and allows the Panthers to receive a first round bye.

"We knew that we had to play like we wanted second place," said sophomore forward Dewitt Jackson .

The first half began sluggish for PNC, as the offense encountered problems penetrating the lane. Cardinal Stritch blocked five shots in the first half alone, establishing defensive dominance under the Panther basket. To the credit of the Wolves tight knit defense, the Panthers were held to a low 38.5 shooting percentage from the field.

It wasn't until senior Jeremy McCelos drained the Panthers' first three-pointer on the night, that the Panthers possessed any offensive momentum at all. Prior to the shot, PNC was down 24-16 with just under ten minutes to go in the half. The shot seemed to wake up the Panthers, as the pace of the game quickened.

After McCelos' three-pointer, the defense stole possession on the pass-in leading to a Terry Polk score, with an assist credited to sophomore Marlon Douglas. Junior Brian Bogus then took control on the next possession after the rebound, sprinted down court, made the lay up and drew the foul, which he converted. Following that score, Bogus earned a steal and then passed the ball off to Polk, for the third score in three possessions. The offensive scamper brought PNC to within three points, with just over four minutes in the first half.

At the end of the half, the Panthers trailed 42-37. Polk led the way with nine-points, and junior Adam Dobrzeniecki contributed eight-points.

When asked what motivated the Panthers to explode in the second half the way they did, Bogus, McCelos, Polk, and Jackson all agreed that Coach Gordon gave the necessary pep-talk.

"We knew we needed to get hot in the second half. Coach told us this was our game to win, and it really was," said Bogus.

Jackson allowed PNC its first lead of the night, two minutes down in the second half, with a pair of free throws. McCelos earned one of his three steals on the night, at the 17 minute mark, which led to a successful attempt from downtown by Douglas .

As PNC gained the offensive upper-hand, the defense began clamping down on the Wolves. The Panthers earned seven steals, and forced Cardinal Stritch to turn the ball over 11 times in the second half. Polk was responsible for two blocked shots, and two steals.

"The more physical team wins, we just had to get in there and take the ball," said Polk.

When Dobrzeniecki fouled out he gathered his team around the Wolves' three-point line with three minutes to go in the game. He loudly stated that it was PNC's win for the taking.

'In years past, this team would beat us by 30 or 40 points each time. Now we beat them in a game like this," said Dobrzeniecki.

While McCelos took control around the perimeter, Polk cleaned up in the lane, and grabbed every rebound that came his way. Bogus took advantage of opportunities at the line to top off on the night.

While the Panthers seemingly had control of the game with less than 20 seconds, Cardinal Stritch connected on two consecutive shots from the field, and a last second three point bomb, ending the game.

"We earned where we are at," said McCelos.

Polk led all scores with 25 points and added 11 rebounds, while McCelos and Dobrzeniecki contributed 16 each. Jackson chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds.

The Panthers take on Trinity International, Saturday February 16 th , at Deerfield Illinois in their final regular season game at 7:30 p.m. Full CCAC Tournament pairings and schedules will be determined at the conclusion of conference play on Saturday night.

Due to the bye, the Panthers will play their first game on Wednesday night at Purdue Calumet against an opponent to be determined.

The Purdue North Central Panthers fell to Calumet College of St. Joseph 67-61 Saturday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City. The game knocks PNC down to second place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, with a record of 14-12, 5-3 in the conference, leaving Calumet on top of the division at 19-7, 7-1.

The Panthers just couldn't recover from a dismal first half, which left them playing catch up all night. PNC shot only 22% from the field, and missed on all eight attempts from behind the arc in the first half. The Panthers also found trouble dealing with CCSJ's overwhelming defense.

"Their guards broke us down the entire first half," said junior guard Sylvester James.

Calumet exploded in the first half connecting on 56% of their shots from the field, along with four successes from down town, three of which came consecutively. CCSJ took advantage of PNC's ineffective offense, as they stretched their lead to34-20 at the end of the half.

At the break, junior Adam Dobrzeniecki and sophomore Dewitt Jackson led the Panthers with eight points a piece. Terry Polk had five rebounds.

The second half seemed a bit more promising for the Panthers. Sylvester James came up with an early steal, passing the ball off to sophomore Marlon Douglas for the score. On the next Panther possession, James connected for PNC's first three pointer on the night. Junior Tyler Moore came up with PNC's second steal on the half, dishing it out to Polk for a jump shot. The spree shortened the gap to 45-31 with twelve minutes to go in the game.

The Panthers ran into turnover problems late in the game. CCSJ only had three steals, yet PNC turned the ball over nine times.

"It was very hard to penetrate, their defense was on, and we just came up short," said James.

With ten minutes to go, senior Matt Martinez came into the game and drained a three pointer. This was followed by steal from Douglas which led to a Panther score by Polk. But as the Panthers began to catch up, they ran into foul troubles which proved to be detrimental.

The Panthers were over the limit with fouls, with just under five minutes in the game. While Calumet connected on only 9 of 16 attempts from the line, those points negated PNC's last efforts at a win.

Despite Dobrzeniecki's seven point splurge, which included a three pointer with three minutes to go in the game, along with a pair of three's from James and Martinez, PNC came up just short of the win.

Leading the Panthers in scoring was Dobrzeniecki with 20 points; James and Jackson each had twelve on the night.

The Panthers play Cardinal Stritch University at home February 14 th at 7:30 - their last regular season home game of the year. This game will decide if the Panthers will solely hold the second place spot.

"We need to accept the challenge for next game and win, it is now the most important game of our season," said James.

The Purdue North Central basketball team fell to Trinity Christian College 65-54 Saturday afternoon in Palos Heights, IL . The loss ended PNC's three game winning streak.

The Panthers used a late run in the first half to pull within 36-29 at the break. But a slow start to the second half and a cold shooting night left PNC fighting from behind all game.

A late run capped by a three-pointer from sophomore guard Marlon Douglas gave PNC one last chance as they pulled within six with 3:30 to play. But the Trolls made their free throws down the stretch to end the Panthers hopes of a comeback.

Free throws were the main difference in the game as Trinity Christian made an impressive 26 of a whopping 32 attempts. The Panthers didn't get to the line even half as much, finishing 10 of 14.

Both teams struggled from the field with the Trolls knocking in 18 of 48 shots (37.5%) and just six of 24 (25%) in the second half. The Panthers made 20 of 61 (32.8%) for the game and were nine of 33 (27.3%) in the second half. Both teams struggled to control the ball as Trinity Christian committed 24 turnovers compared to 23 for PNC.

PNC was led by junior Terry Polk with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while junior Adam Dobrzeniecki added 13 points and four rebounds.

The Panthers dropped to 14-11 overall and 5-2 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, while the Trolls improved to 8-15 and 2-5. The loss dropped PNC out of first place in conference, one game behind Calumet College of St. Joseph.

PNC plays again on Saturday, Feb. 10 th when they host CCSJ in an important CCAC match-up. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

The PNC basketball team stayed in first place with a hard-fought, 78-74 victory over Judson College Wednesday night in Elgin , IL . The Panthers improved to 14-10 overall and 5-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic conference while Judson dropped to 5-18, 1-5.

The Panthers fell behind 37-34 at the break before taking what seemed like a commanding 12 point lead late in the second half. However, the Eagles made a strong comeback before PNC sank their free throws down the stretch to squeak out the victory.

Nine different players scored for the Panthers, who were led by sophomore Marlon Douglas' 20 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Junior Adam Dobrzeniecki added a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Dewitt Jackson contributed a career-high 14 points and five rebounds while senior Matt Martinez chipped in with 11 points.

Overall, the Panthers shot 50% from the floor (30 of 60) while knocking down 16 of 25 free throws. Their sticky defense held Judson to 29 from 67 from the field. PNC also out-rebounded the Eagles 43-33.

The Panthers, who are tied with Calumet College of St. Joseph, play again this Saturday at 4 p.m. at Trinity Christian (7-15, 1-5) in another important CCAC match-up. The fan bus will be departing PNC at 1 p.m.

The Purdue North Central basketball team moved into a tie for first place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference with Calumet College of St. Joseph following this past weekend's action. Both teams are 4-1 at the midway point of conference play.

The Panthers defeated visiting Trinity International ( Deerfield , IL ) 72-66 Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City . CCSJ fell 64-61 to Judson College at the Civic Center in Hammond for their first conference setback.

PNC is currently 13-10 overall and has established a new single season program high for wins in a season. The four wins also mark the most victories the Panthers have earned in the difficult CCAC.

The Panthers will play again on Wednesday at Judson College in Elgin , IL at 7:30 p.m. PNC defeated the Eagles 72-71 on January 10 th at the Scholl Center .

The Panthers have only five remaining games on their schedule and just two at home (Feb. 10 th and 14 th ) before the CCAC Tournament begins with sights and times to be determined.

As the victories continue to pile up for the PNC Panthers, so do their moments in school history. The Panthers won another conference game against the Trinity International Trojans 72-66 at the Scholl Center in Michigan City Saturday afternoon.

The win moves PNC to 4-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, making it the first time the Panthers have ever won four conference games. PNC also moved to 13-10 overall, adding to their single season wins total. Trinity fell to 6-17 and 2-3.

The Panthers offense started relatively slow in the first half, scoring only six points in the first nine minutes of the game. Adam Dobrzeniecki was responsible for all of PNC's points until the 11:00 mark, when senior Matt Martinez came through with a tip-in.

PNC had trouble moving the ball down court due to the Trojans stifling defense, which forced six Panther turnovers early in the game.

"In the first half we had some careless passes, but the defense did well in keeping the game close," said Panther head coach Grayling Gordon.

While PNC's offense struggled to get in sync, the Trojans found themselves on top 15-6 near the midway point of the half.

Senior Jeremy McCelos helped change the pace of the game with a steal, which he took down for the score. PNC quickly got the ball back after sophomore Marlon Douglas stole the ball, and took it down court for a missed lay up, but McCelos was there for the tip in which pulled them within five points. The defense continued their aggression as junior Terry Polk blocked a shot, which landed in the hands of McCelos, who dished the ball back to Polk for the score.

The switch in momentum gave PNC their first lead of the night with :50 seconds left in the half, after Polk made a jump shot from just inside the arc. At the half, PNC trailed 26-25, with Dobrzeniecki leading the way with ten points.

The second half was PNC's key to victory, as they shot 14 of 28, (50%) from the field. It started off on a good note for PNC. McCelos darted in with another steal, which led to an easy lay up by Polk. Dobrzeniecki helped kick off the half when he posted up hard, and made the hook shot. The combination of quickness and three point shooting by Douglas put PNC ahead 38-32, with 13:50 left in the game.

From here, the Panthers capitalized on free throws to increase the scoring margin. Martinez made seven of eight from the line, followed by Polk and junior Brian Bogus, each going three of four. PNC shot 22 of 27 (81.5%) on the game. However, Trinity made one more run and closed to within two and had possession at 58-56 at the four minute mark.

But the Panthers responded with several clutch three pointers to expand the lead. McCelos made two of three, along with junior Sylvester James and Douglas chipping in one a piece.

The defense continued their pressure gaining 12 steals, with seven of them resulting in Panther scores and forcing 21 turnovers. As the defense continued to fuel the offense, PNC found they could pass the ball around with ease.

"At half time I said to get the ball to the inside more, once we started passing well, their double team became ineffective," said Gordon.

The Panthers had a comfortable lead in the final minutes of the game, despite some successful attempts from behind the arc for the Trojans.

"Once we calmed down, I knew we'd be all right; we wanted this win against them at home," said McCelos

Individually, the Panthers were led by Polk with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Dobrzeniecki was the high scorer with 18 points. McCelos had a great all around effort, contributing 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals in just 23 minutes. Martinez added 11 points as nine different players scored overall.

The Panthers play again on Wednesday verses Judson College at 7:30 p.m. in Elgin, IL in another important CCAC match-up. PNC is currently in second place in conference, just one game behind Calumet Conference of St. Joseph.

The Purdue North Central basketball team made history again Wednesday night in Milwaukee.

The Panthers have already set the school wins record and stand at 12-10 overall and 3-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. But PNC also knocked off conference foe Cardinal Stritch (14-8, 2-2) for the first time in history. Stritch is now the third team PNC has defeated that is receiving national attention as they are receiving votes for the Top 25.

The Panthers are now one game out of first place in the CCAC behind Calumet College of St. Joseph (4-0).

PNC trailed by 10 at halftime (41-31) but used an explosive second half effort to earn the difficult road victory. The Panthers outscored the Wolves 43-25 after break to secure the 74-66 outcome.

A team effort once again led PNC to the victory as 10 players played seven minutes or more and four Panthers reached double figures. They were led by junior Terry Polk with 18 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Marlon Douglas added 14 points, including three, three-pointers.

Junior Adam Dobrzeniecki had an off night by his standards (4 of 13 from field), but still finished with 13 points, a team-high eight rebounds and made all five free throw attempts. Finally, senior Jeremy McCelos contributed 10 points, including two, three-pointers and finished a perfect four for four from the floor.

PNC made 27 of 60 shots overall and an impressive seven of 11 from behind the arc. They knocked down 13 of 18 free throws including several down the stretch. The Panthers also out-rebounded the bigger Wolves 43-33.

Meanwhile the Panthers' defensive prowess held the Wolves to a 23 of 51 effort from the field. Stritch missed numerous opportunities at the charity stripe as they made just 16 of 26 attempts.

After the long but satisfying ride back from Milwaukee , the Panthers will get back to work and prepare for Trinity International ( Deerfield , IL ) on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Scholl Center of Marquette High School in Michigan City.

The Purdue North Central basketball team fell 72-64 to the Moody Bible Institute Thursday night in Chicago. The Panthers fell to 11-9 while the Archers improved to 4-8.

PNC fell behind 40-35 at the break due to some red-hot shooting from the Archers. Moody Bible connected on an impressive 16 of 25 shots (64%) and knocked down five of six free throws in the process.

Overall, the Panthers struggled from the floor connecting on 23 of 57 attempts (40.4%). But their stingy defense in the second half kept them in the game until the end. PNC forced 16 turnovers and blocked four Archer shots.

The Panthers had four players in double figures and were led by sophomore Andre Jones who finished with 14 points. Juniors Tyler Moore (12 points), Sly James (11 points) and Terry Polk (10 points) chipped in for PNC.

Junior center and leading Panther scorer Adam Dobrzeniecki did not play due to a lingering injury from Wednesday night's victory over East-West University . The Archers took advantage of his absence as center Bill Mitchell poured in 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

The Panthers play again on Saturday verses the Calumet College of St. Joseph at 3 p.m. in Hammond in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference match-up. Both teams are currently 2-0 in conference play.

The Purdue North Central Panthers are back on track after a 74-67 victory at the Scholl Center Wednesday night over the East-West University Phantoms. The win puts PNC at 11-8 on the year. The 11 wins establishes a new single season victory mark for the Panthers, topping the 10 wins in each of the 2003-04' and 2004-05' seasons.

In the first half, the Panthers offense wasn't as potent as they would've liked to be. Shooting just 36.8% from the field, PNC had to rely on their defense to keep them in the game.

Defensively, the first half was outstanding for the Panthers. They forced 15 turnovers with two of them coming from shot clock violations due to PNC's swarming defense. Junior Forward Terry Polk was responsible for three of the steals, all leading to PNC points.

The Panthers seemed like they were going to run with the game early on, jumping out 17-6 with 12:00 left in the half, but a near three minute scoring drought provided the Phantoms with momentum to keep the game close. With just over 10:00 left in the first half, the Panthers found themselves matched at 17 with the Phantoms.

Polk used his speed to grab a steal, and sprint down the court for a lay-up and foul to help PNC regain the lead. Polk stole the ball away from the Phantoms once again after the pass in, giving the Panthers some headway with another easy lay-up.

At the end of the half the Panthers were on top 32-28, with Polk leading the team in scoring (15 points), offensive rebounds, and steals.

When the second half began, the Phantoms wasted no time brining the game back to their level. East-West scored on three consecutive possessions, taking the lead early in the half.

Picking up where he left off, Polk answered back to the Phantom scoring frenzy with a few buckets of his own. Polk went two for two driving to the lane, giving the lead back to PNC and starting a chain reaction for the Panthers.

Junior forward Tyler Moore connected on two consecutive shots from behind the arc. This was followed by a three point shot from senior Matt Martinez. But the Phantoms drained two three-point-shots, to tie the game at 51 with 11:00 to go in the game.

Senior guard Jeremy McCelos busted the game open for the Panthers late in the second half, earning four steals. Two of these resulted in Panther points, including Moore 's final three pointer of the night.

Martinez contributed his intensity once again, as he drove to the lane for the score drawing the foul. He missed the free throw, only to have Polk get the rebound, and pass to McCelos for the score. This put the Panthers up 60-55 with 5:30 left in the game.

The Panthers took control of the game as they began to wind the clock down, but they continued to score as the shot clock approached expiration.

Sophomore guard Marlon Douglas widened the gap near the end of the game, shooting 2 for 2 from the field with under three minutes in the game. Junior Sylvester James also contributed with a rebound and a fast break for the score, putting the game out of reach for the Phantoms.

"This win gives us the momentum we wanted, we bounced back after the Indiana Tech game, and now we are ready for conference," said McCelos.

Leading scoring for the Panthers were, Terry Polk (21), Tyler Moore (11), Matt Martinez, and Marlon Douglas each had nine points.

The Panthers don't get a break as they head to Moody Bible in Chicago for another tough non-conference match-up tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Looking back on December until now, the Purdue North Central basketball team has accomplished a lot. The Panthers banked 6 wins, including two conference wins and a victory against a nationally recognized team. The Panthers however have had 4 losses in the meantime. Although four losses may seem like a few too many, three of them were heartbreakers, which really could have gone either way.

When the Panthers took on Illinois-Springfield College , they lost 73-70 due to a last second shot behind the arc.

For the next game, the Panthers traveled to Rensselaer to take on the St. Joseph Pumas, a NCAA Division II program from the difficult Great Lakes Valley Conference. PNC came back in the first half, despite the Pumas ability to rain down three pointers all game. In fact, the first five baskets the Pumas sunk were long balls. This didn't stop the Panthers from keeping the game within reach.

They matched the Puma's all game until midway through the second half, when St. Joseph went on a 9-0 run. The Panthers lost the game respectively, 77-69.

PNC's next game was yet another tough loss, as the second half continued to haunt the Panthers. PNC froze Hope College 's offense to just 39% shooting from the field, and went into the second half with a 36-31 lead. Hope College bounced back with a 57 point strong second half, stealing the game away from the Panthers 88-79.

When PNC came back home to play Indiana University Northwest, the team planned on getting back on the right track.

The Panthers ended their four game skid with a decisive 79-52 victory over IUN. It was in this game that PNC started to exhibit a more powerful offensive unit, as ten players scored in the game, with Rodney Wash leading the way with 12 points.

The game not only halted a painful loosing streak, but it revealed a different Panther team. It became apparent that PNC was starting to find out what they were made of.

"We're really starting to trust each other now and we're getting ready for conference," commented senior guard Matt Martinez.

The metamorphosis became even clearer when the Panthers took on Indiana University Southeast on the road. IUSE went into that game with an 11-3 record, along with being ranked 26th in the nation. On top of being a nationally recognized team, IUSE defeated PNC earlier in the season 84-79 at home. It was safe to say at the time, that PNC was the underdog going into the game.

The Panthers' displayed their finest game from behind the arc, connecting on nine three pointers, combined with 31 field goals. PNC also churned out 4 players who scored in double digits, with Rodney Wash paving the way with 24 points, ten rebounds, and three blocked shots, while sophomore Marlon Douglass added 19 points and four assists. Junior Adam Dobrzeniecki continued his strong play of late with 13 points and senior Jeremy McCelos chipped in with 11 points.

All of this led to a stunning PNC victory over IUSE, 86-78. The win also set a team record, as PNC beat their highest ranked team in school history.

Unfortunately for the next scheduled game against rival Purdue Calumet, the game was cancelled due to academic ineligibility of 8 of Purdue Calumet's players.

Unfortunately, the Panthers lost their leading scorer and rebounder at semester break in Rodney Wash. But his loss only made the team realize what each player's role was. Wash is expected back next year.

The next two games were PNC's biggest games of the year up to that point. For one, they were down a key starter, and two, both Judson College and Trinity Christian College are in PNC's conference.

The Panthers defeated Judson College in a thriller at home, 72-71, much to the credit of Douglas, a sophomore guard from Muncie IN. Douglas managed to take control of the ball in the final seconds of the game and to drive down court for the score on a jump shot that drew a foul. Douglas then converted to a three point play.

"I can't describe the feeling I had when that shot went in, it's a nice way to launch a new year on a new team for me," said Douglas.

The win put PNC at 9-7 on the year and 1-0 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Panthers level of confidence was lifted in the second conference game of the season, when PNC won in another exciting game 65-61 against Trinity Christian College .

"Our guys are realizing their roles now, and they are starting to believe in those roles, and that's how we get wins," said assistant coach Kris Schnatz.

PNC had three players in double digits. Dobzeniecki had 19 points on the night, followed by Polk with 16 points, and Martinez with 14 points.

It has become evident, especially in the conference games, that the Panthers have learned to rely on each other rather then a couple of high scoring players.

Dobzeniecki has been the point leader every game since Wash 's departure. But without the fire that Martinez brings as he enters a game, or the key steals that Douglas gets, or clutch shooting from Terry Polk and Jeremy McCelos combining with the entire team effort, the points are meaningless.

The fact is PNC creates wins by using their heads. They are a more patient and smart team then they were in the beginning of the season. They are moving the ball around more effectively, and realizing who does what the best.

"We think we have found a solid rotation, the team is now trusting each other," said head coach Gordon.

Not including the loss against a dominant Indiana Tech on Jan. 15th, the Panthers are living their moment in the sun. They have already matched the team's record of most wins in a season, along with having defeated two nationally recognized teams, and remaining undefeated in the conference to this point.

Regardless of the milestones PNC has accomplished thus far, it isn't over yet. The Panthers goal in the beginning of the year was to contend with every team in the conference. Now they believe in that goal.

The PNC Panthers simply got outplayed versus an incredibly athletic Indiana Tech, 96-76, Monday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City .

"We got beat by a better team who found our weaknesses," said coach Gordon.

The Panthers struggled throughout the game, partially due to fouls that disrupted any rhythm they had going. PNC had 14 fouls in the first half alone, allowing Indiana Tech to score on 13 of 18 free throws.

The Panthers had opportunities to make a difference in the game at the line as well, but failed to capitalize especially in the first half. PNC went on to score on only 9 of 16 attempts from the line.

Within the first four minutes of the game the Panthers were trailing 15-5, and Indiana Tech kept up that pace all game. With Indiana Tech connecting on 55.2% of their field goals in the first half, it became difficult for the Panthers to overcome such a deficit. PNC couldn't keep up the point flow as they shot 31.3% in the first half.

At the end of the half PNC was down 48-31, with junior center Adam Dobzeniecki leading the team with 7 points.

The first five minutes of the second half were PNC's best on the night. Out of the gate, the Panthers scored on 4 of 4 possessions, with Dobzeniecki driving hard to get three of the scores with lay ups.

Junior forward Terry Polk displayed some promise when he took the ball down court for a lay up, drawing a foul. When Polk converted the three point play, PNC closed the gap to 9 points. This was the smallest deficit PNC faced since the opening minutes of the game, and would be the closest they would get to Indiana Tech.

Not long after the Panthers looked as if they were making a comeback, Indiana tech scored 10 points in under two minutes. During this time PNC only scored on a jump shot by Dobzeniecki, putting the game further out of reach.

At the end of the game, Indiana Tech made 54.5% of their field goals, combined with five 3-pointers. PNC only hit three shots from behind the arc, and only hit 39% of their shots.

Dobzeniecki was the only Panther to score in double digits, leading the Panthers with 22 points on the night, his third consecutive game as team point leader. Junior guard Brian Bogus had 8 points along with 2 assists.

"Indiana Tech is a talented team that broke us down tonight," said coach Gordon.

Purdue North Central plays East-West University this Wednesday at the Scholl Center at 7:30 .

Reassuring us that PNC will be ready for the next game, coach Gordon said," The next two games are big for us, we will get this one back."

The Purdue North Central Panthers used a complete team effort to defeat conference opponent Trinity Christian College 65-61 Saturday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

The win not only leaves PNC undefeated in the conference at 2-0, it also marks a stepping stone for the Panthers as they become just the second basketball team in school history to achieve two conference victories in the same season. The 10 wins also ties the school record for victories established twice before (2003-04' and 2004-05)'. The Panthers are now 10-7 overall while the Trolls fell to 5-12, 0-2.

"We told the guys before the game that we have a chance to do what no other team before us has done, and we felt going into the game that we had an incredible opportunity to make history," said assistant coach Kris Schnatz.

The Panthers offense kicked into high gear at the 12:00 mark of the first half, when junior forward Terry Polk, found senior guard Jeremy McCelos in the lane for the score. This got the ball rolling for the Panthers, as they went on to score on seven of their next nine possessions. Junior center Adam Dobrzeniecki, who led the team with 19 points on the night, was responsible for three of those scores.

Senior guard Matt Martinez came into the game during the scoring frenzy and immediately went to the lane to get the score and draw the foul. Martinez converted the free throw to complete the three-point-play.

Free throws are what kept PNC in the game as they connected on 11 of 13 from the line - many at crucial moments of the game. Dobrzeniecki led the way making made nine of 11.

Despite the Panthers hot streak, Trinity managed to stay in the game by hitting three-pointers. The game was still close at the 2:30 mark of the first half, with PNC leading 26-24. At half time the score was 28-26 in favor of the Panthers.

At the start of the second half, Dobrzeniecki put the momentum fully in PNC's court, when he made a stunning fade away jumper, and drew the foul for the three point conversion. Dobrzeniecki followed this with another easy lay up to put the Panthers ahead 37-32. Amazingly, the largest differential throughout the entire game was never more than six points.

After a run by the Trolls gave them the lead, sophomore guard Marlon Douglas exhibited his quickness as he grabbed a steal and connected with Terry Polk on the other end of the court for the score. Without hesitation Polk stole the ball on Trinities' inbounds pass and put in an easy lay up. This put PNC ahead 45-43 with 10:00 to go in the game.

As the end of the game neared and the crowd got louder, Trinity seemed to be feeding off the energy in the Scholl Center . They scored on five possessions in a row, and didn't allow the Panthers to cross the half court line twice. But Polk came through with his third steal on the night, and passed it off to Dobrzeniecki for the score to make it 61-60 PNC.

After a PNC foul brought Trinity to the line, the Trolls made one of two to once again knot the game at 61 with :52 left in the game.

Martinez then drained the biggest shot on the night with a long three-pointer from the top of the key to put the Panthers up 64-61. The Panthers defense took control from that point to ice the game.

Although Dobrzeniecki, Polk (16 points) and Martinez (13 points) led the way offensively for the Panthers, it seemed as if every player stepped up at one time or another to gain the hard-fought victory. Sophomore Hugh Howard had two great assists, a huge bucket and a steal. Mc Celos had a monster three-pointer that helped PNC regain the lead late in the game. Sophomore Andre Jones picked up two baskets when the offense needed a lift. And Junior Tyler Moore logged heavy minutes to keep Dobrzeniecki fresh and played solid defense.

"Our guys are realizing their roles now, and they are starting to believe in those roles, and that's how we get wins," said coach Schnatz.

PNC looks forward to their game against Indiana Tech this Monday at 7 p.m. at the Scholl Center. Tech is currently 11-8 and beat PNC 93-68 on November 25th in Fort Wayne.

"They beat us last time, but now we are a smarter more patient team," boasted coach Schnatz.

Purdue North Central defeated conference rival Judson College 72-71 Wednesday night at the Scholl Center in another close victory for the Panthers. PNC improved to 9-7 overall and 1-0 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference while Judson fell to 3-14 and 0-1.

The final score speaks volumes about how the game was played all the way through. For the Panthers, the game was a mixture of overwhelming excitement, shadowed by momentary weak points.

Looking at the performance of the Panthers in the first half, the thought of an upset wasn't ever far from anyone's mind. After all, the Panthers just came off a huge win versus IU Southeast, the 26th ranked team in the nation, and now they were facing a 3-13 team that was out for respect.

Early in the game, the Panthers found themselves digging out of a couple holes simultaneously. For one, PNC encountered foul trouble before the midway point of the first half, which took a little wind out of them, considering the Eagles went 12 for 15 from the line.

The other problem was PNC's ineffectiveness to make baskets, and establish an offensive rhythm early in the game. This bump in the road could have been credited to eight Panther turnovers in the first half.

"In the first half their zone defense caused problems, plus we were also having a hard time with the weak side defense," said Panther head coach Grayling Gordon.

For the first half, the Eagles made 10 of 25 total field goals, along with two of five 5 three-pointers. PNC, however, outshot the Eagles making 13 of 35 total field goals, combined with three of 11 three-point shots, which led to a 34-34 score at break.

Point leader on the night Adam Dobzeniecki (junior), proved to be PNC's key to success. Dobzeniecki contributed 12 points in the first half, many of them coming from tips.

At the start of the second half, Dobzeniecki continued what would be his season high for points in a game. He came out of the gate with a drive to the lane and drew the foul for a three-point-play. This was quickly followed by another jump shot for the 6'6 center.

Senior Nate Mrozinski once again flexed his ability from behind the arc, and drained his second three- pointer on the night, which gave PNC the lead at 42-39.

As the second half progressed, so did the Panthers aggression under the basket. PNC out rebounded Judson 41 to 30, which helped the Panthers stay one step ahead. Dobzeniecki had 13 rebounds on the night, leading the Panthers in that area. In fact, rebounding may have served the most crucial role in PNC's victory. Their dominance under the basket led to several tips, and ball control.

With 5:50 left in the game, PNC found themselves on top 65-60 after senior guard Matt Martinez hit his only three pointer on the night. This was later followed by another Martinez jump shot, which put the Panthers up 67-64 with under a minute of play.

The Eagles came right back and closed the gap with a three pointer with :09 left in the game.

But Marlon Douglas, a sophomore guard from Muncie, IN took control of the ball and sprinted down court for an amazing, floating jump shot to put PNC ahead with seconds left in the game. His drive was complimented by a drawn foul, and the three-point conversion sealed the victory. Judson hit a two-pointer at the buzzer after missing a long three-point attempt for the final score.

"I can't describe the feeling I had when that shot went in, it's a nice way to launch a new year on a new team for me," said Douglas.

Point leaders for the Panthers were, Dobzeniecki (27), junior Terry Polk (11), and Martinez (7).

The Panthers' next game is against Trinity Christian College this Saturday at 4:00 p.m.at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

Purdue North Central's basketball game verse Purdue Calumet has been cancelled. The game, originally scheduled for January 3 rd at 6 p.m. in Hammond was cancelled by Purdue Calumet. The following story, dated December 29, 2006, was posted on Purdue Calumet's athletic website and gives further explanation:

Academic woes end men's basketball season, coaching staff resigns

HAMMOND, Ind. (December 29, 2006) - Academic ineligibility of eight student basketball players following season-ending injuries to two others has prompted Purdue University Calumet to cancel the remainder of its 2006-07 men's season and accept the resignation of head coach Mike James and his coaching staff, effective immediately.

Grade reports of recently completed fall semester course work necessitated the decision, according to Purdue Calumet Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health, Recreation and Sports Rob Jensen, adding that an assessment of the men's basketball program will be conducted and improvements made prior to resuming play in 2007-08. The names of the ineligible student athletes may not be announced due to student privacy regulations.

The season-ending decision means Purdue Calumet, after compiling an 8-5 record, will not play the final 16 games of its regular season, including 12 dates and a postseason tournament within Division I of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). Purdue Calumet previously announced that its men's and women's basketball teams are moving to Division II of the CCAC next season. 

"While I am very disappointed in a number of our student athletes for their failure to respond appropriately to their academic goals and responsibilities," Jensen said, "I also deeply regret that our system of monitoring the academic progress of our student athletes failed to achieve our desired intention." 

Purdue Calumet Chancellor Howard Cohen said the decision to halt the season, though unfortunate, is necessary.

"Basketball players are students first; we expect them to do well in the classroom," he said. "The NAIA has as its motto: 'Champions of Character.' We expect nothing less from our athletes, and we will not compromise our standards in our sports programs."

The premature end to the 2006-07 season and his coaching resignation is particularly disappointing for James, a Purdue Calumet alumnus and former all-conference player for longtime coach Larry Liddle, previous assistant under predecessor Gary Hayes and successor to Hayes when the latter resigned midway through the 2004-05 season.

"This was supposed to be a time of great excitement for our program," said James, who compiled a 29-33 record at the Purdue Calumet helm. "We were 8-5 with a chance to improve on that record heading into conference play. I am extremely disappointed, and as head coach I accept responsibility."

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Services Melinda Dalgarn, to whom the Office of Health, Recreation and Sports reports, said a series of steps will be taken to assure proper implementation of an improved, revitalized men's basketball program.

"We must re-evaluate our student athlete academic monitoring process; clearly, we need a better system in place," she said. "As unfortunate as this situation is, we can learn from it, make improvements and, ultimately, our basketball program will be stronger."

Jensen added that no timetable has been set for hiring a new coach.

"Mike, the rest of the coaching staff and I always tried to be very clear with our athletes as to their responsibilities in the classroom and the great benefits of earning a Purdue degree at Purdue Calumet," he said. "Without question, that will be a focus and priority of our new coach and staff."

The premature termination to the men's season comes 12 years after Purdue Calumet canceled its women's basketball season just two games into the 1994-95 campaign due to an unprecedented string of injuries, ailments, academic ineligibility and unexpected departures. The program regrouped in 1995-96 under Hayes' coaching to compile a 27-5 record, win the CCAC championship and qualify for a berth in the NAIA Division I national tournament.

The Purdue North Central Panthers defeated Indiana University Southeast 86-78 Friday night in New Albany, IN for a stunning road victory.

The Grenadiers entered the contest with an 11-3 record and were currently ranked 26 th in the nation. They had also defeated PNC 84-79 in Michigan City earlier this season. It is the second time this season the Panthers defeated a team receiving national recognition, and the highest ranked team PNC has ever beat.

The Panthers overcame a whopping discrepancy at the free throw line to overtake the Grenadiers as IU-Southeast scored nearly half their points from the free throw line. IUSE connected on 31 of 43 attempts compared to just 15 of 20 attempts for Purdue North Central.

However, the Panthers made 31 of 54 shots from the floor and held IU-Southeast to a 21 of 50 effort to make up the difference. PNC also connected on nine of 19 three-pointers and held IUSE to a five for 18 shooting night.

The Panthers led 48-39 at the break and somehow managed to hold off the Grenadiers. This was despite the fact IUSE was going to the free throw line at will and scoring when the clock was not moving.

10 different players scored for PNC, including four in double figures. Sophomore Rodney Wash led the way with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots, while sophomore Marlon Douglass added 19 points and four assists. Junior Adam Dobrzeniecki continued his strong play of late with 13 points and senior Jeremy McCelos chipped in with 11 points.

The Panthers, off to their best start in the program's brief history, are now 7-8 overall and won't play again until January 3 rd when they travel to Hammond to take on Purdue Calumet at 6 p.m.

The Purdue North Central Panthers ended their four game skid Wednesday night, as they came away with an easy win over Indiana University Northwest, 79-52.

From beginning to end the Panthers ran the court topping nearly all statistics, but the most impressive stat was the assists. PNC came through with 27 on the night, with sophomore guard Marlon Douglas leading the category with six. This was Douglas ' first appearance at home after coming off the inactive list.

The first 10 minutes of the game was all PNC. The defense came through with six steals in the first half, along with 12 defensive rebounds. This enabled PNC to basically dismantle IUN's offense.

Within the first six minutes of the game, IUN had three shot clock violations, which shows the difficulty they had moving the ball against the Panthers defense.

"IUN played a two-three zone, which is something we find easy to break through," said senior guard Nate Mrozinski.

Junior forward Tyler Moore and Mrozinski capitalized on the defenses' ability to get the ball back on command by hitting three of three from behind the arch. The quick nine points were accredited to steals by junior forward Terry Polk and Douglas.

"We were able to just pick them (IUN) apart, came through with a lot of steals, and shared the ball the best we have all season," said senior Guard Matt Martinez.

By the final 5:00 of the first half the Panthers were in full stride. They took complete control under the boards, and allowed only eight points within the 5:00 before the half. At halftime the Panthers led 36-23, but the best was yet to come.

The Panthers came out hot, draining four of four in the opening minutes. Martinez was responsible for finding the open man on three of the baskets, which propelled PNC's lead to 57-35 with 15:00 left in the game. Martinez had five assists on the night.

PNC began firing the long ball, hitting eight on the night. Leaders in this category were Moore and freshmen guard Hugh Howard with two each.

The Panther defense once again froze IUN by coming away with 13 steals, and 27 defensive rebounds. This was complimented by PNC's ability to pass the ball easily, and score at will.

"Coach told us to pass the ball one extra time to loosen up an open man, and it really worked," said sophomore forward Rodney Wash. Wash had 12 points in the game, leading the Panthers in scoring. Howard was the only other Panther to reach double digits with 10 points as a whopping 12 different players scored for PNC.

"The second half we really opened the game up. We all felt like we needed this win, and we wanted to prove a point tonight," said Martinez .

With 4:00 to go in the game the Panthers added several fast break buckets as they wore down their opponent and increased their lead to the biggest of the night at 72-42.

"We're really starting to trust each other now and we're getting ready for conference," Martinez said.

The win puts PNC at 6-8 on the year. The Panthers play IU-South East on December 22 in New Albany , IN at 7 p.m.

The Purdue North Central basketball team fell to Hope College 88-79 Monday night in Holland, MI in front of 3,000 fans. The Panthers fell to 5-8 overall after dropping their fourth straight, while the Flying Dutchmen improved to 6-2.

The Panthers led 36-31 at the break after holding the Dutchmen to just 39% shooting. Hope responded with 67% shooting in the second half to rally for 57 points and their fourth straight victory.

A Dutchman three-pointer put Hope ahead to stay 46-44 with just under 14 minutes to play. The Dutchmen went on an 18-5 run, but were unable to maintain the double-digit lead as PNC came back within eight points with four minutes left. The Panthers closed the gap to eight in the final minute as well but were unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities.

Overall, the Dutchmen had two fewer baskets than Purdue North Central, but had a 26-16 advantage from the free throw line (26/38 for Hope and 16/21 for PNC). The Panthers forced 22 turnovers while committing just 15, and had an impressive 16 steals. Hope knocked in eight of 17 three-pointers compared to five of 15 for PNC. The Panthers were out rebounded 42-29.

Individually, junior Adam Dobrzeniecki and senior Jeremy Mc Celos led the Panthers with 15 points each. Senior Nate Mrozinski and junior Sylvester James added 10 points each.

PNC plays again on Wednesday night verses IUN at 7 p.m. at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

The Purdue North Central Panthers fell to the Pumas of St. Joseph's College 77-69 Saturday afternoon in Rensselaer, IN. The Panthers dropped to 5-7 overall while the Pumas improved to 5-2.

The Pumas took an early lead thanks to some accurate three-point shooting. Their first five made field goals were three-pointers, each by a different player.

PNC kept pace and rallied to take a 16-14 lead with 10:22 on the clock before a three-pointer put SJC back in front and ignited a 9-0 run.

The Pumas headed into halftime leading, 39-33, and never relinquished the lead in the second half. However, the Panthers did close the gap to 46-43 with 14:03 remaining after a pair of free throws by junior Adam Dobrzniecki.

An 11-2 run gave the Pumas a 62-49 with 7:07 left, and SJC held their largest advantage at 70-56 with 4:14 to go.

The Panthers responded with an 11-2 run of their own and trailed 72-67 with under a minute to play after two straight baskets by junior Brian Bogus. But SJC made four straight free throws down the stretch to maintain their lead.

St. Joseph 's outrebounded the Panthers 46-27 and knocked down 24 of 33 free throw attempts compared to 17 of 19 attempts for the Panthers. But the Panthers made up for the Puma's advantages by forcing 22 turnovers while committing just 11.

Dobrzniecki scored 20 points to lead PNC, which also got 13 points from sophomore Marlon Douglas and 10 points from Bogus.

The Panthers' next game is Monday night when they travel to Hope College in Holland, MI . Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. eastern time.

The Purdue North Central Panthers fell to the University of Illinois Springfield 73-70 on a last second shot Thursday night in Springfield . The Panthers fell to 5-6 overall while the Prairie Stars improved to 7-5.

The Prairie Stars overcame several deficits throughout the second half for the remarkable come-from-behind victory.

The Prairie Stars opened the game with a 6-0 run over the Panthers but PNC battled back to tie the game at 9-9 at the 16:00 minute mark of the first half. But over the next eight minutes, UIS went up by as many as 11 points, scoring 12 points on Panther turnovers, and held a 31-21 lead with 8:36 remaining before intermission.  The Panthers cut into that lead, leaving the Prairie Stars up 39-38 at the break.

The first 12 minutes of the second half belonged to Purdue North Central as they built a 63-52 lead with 8:09 left in the game against a sluggish UIS squad.  But the Prairie Stars began to battle their way back.  First came a 6-0 run over the next five minutes of play, closing the gap to 64-59.  Two clutch free throws and a steal and a basket on the ensuing inbounds pass pulled UIS within two points with 1:57 left to play.

The Prairie Stars hit a three-pointer with 0:53 seconds left to close the gap to one point at 67-66 and eventually took the lead on another three-pointer with 0:25 seconds left to make the score 70-67.  But senior guard Jeremy McCelos tied the game at 70-70 with 11 seconds left to play for PNC with a deep three-pointer.

With the clock counting down, UIS raced up the court and passed to Cory Farmer who was about 30 feet from the basket. Farmer's shot left his hand as the buzzer sounded and hit nothing but net for the win.

It was a disappointing loss for the Panthers as they won virtually every major statistical category. But UIS made 22 of 36 free throws and committed just 12 turnovers while PNC managed 10 of 14 from the line and had 19 turnovers.

McCelos led the way for the second straight game for PNC with 16 points and five assists. Junior Sylvester James added 12 points and junior Adam Dobrzeniecki contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.

The Panthers play again on December 16 th when they travel to Rensselaer , IN to take on St. Joseph 's College at 3 p.m.

It's hard for any team to win a game with 20 turnovers, and that was Purdue North Central's downfall as they fell 81-77 to rival Purdue Calumet Wednesday night in Michigan City.

PNC struggled early on, failing to establish their high powered offense, draining just one of six field goal attempts in the first four minutes.

But the Panthers managed to awaken from their offensive slumber when freshmen guard Hugh Howard and sophomore forward Andre Jones hit back to back three-pointers, visibly jump starting the team back to their familiar ways.

The Panthers started coming up with both offensive and defensive rebounds, outnumbering Purdue Calumet's total boards 35-28. Yet, even as the Panthers dominated under the basket, they turned the ball over in critical moments in the first half.

"We had way too many unforced turnovers, we just didn't manage our ball handling like we usually do," said senior guard Jeremy McCelos.

McCelos was PNC's spark in the first half. When the Panthers were down 18-10 with 12:00 to go in the half, McCelos hooked up with junior forward Terry Polk on a beautiful assist leading to a score. In rapid succession McCelos picked up four quick points along with two more assists, bringing the Panthers within two points with 9:23 left in the half.

While the Panthers turned their offensive afterburners on, Calumet replied by draining three-pointers, seemingly staying one step ahead of the Panthers throughout the half.

The Panthers finished the half on a good note, as Junior guard Sylvester James hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, ending the half with PNC chasing 37-35.

The second half started out much like the first. PNC remained scoreless for the first four minutes of the half, finding difficulty moving the ball. The Panthers were also disrupted by fouls and several travel violations. The turnovers led to a 13 point splurge by Calumet , creating PNC's biggest deficit of the night as they trailed by 11 points with 15:00 to go in the game.

Once again it took a couple three-pointers to get the offense going. Senior guard Matt Martinez and McCelos both connected with long balls to bring the Panthers within striking distance. Then the excitement happened.

With just under 13:00 to go in the game, McCelos nailed his fourth three-pointer of the night. This was followed by a Panther steal as Calumet passed the ball in, leading to a quick jump shot by James.

As Calumet marched down the court, James made his third steal of the night, passed the ball to Martinez who then connected on his third three-pointer of the game. This brought the game to a tie with under 10:00 to go in the game.

The Panthers could not maintain the momentum and soon found themselves in foul trouble. Calumet managed to inch away with under 5:00 to go, by hitting six of six free throws, and draining more threes. But this wasn't the end for the Panthers.

Jeremy McCelos hit his fifth and sixth three-pointers with 2:00 to go, once again deadlocking the game at 72-72.

But foul troubles continued for PNC and Calumet drained an additional four free throws. Calumet then hit a huge three-point shot near the one minute mark to take a 75-72 lead and iced the game by making their free throws down the stretch.

"Its' just real hard when we loose a game like this against our rivals...the turnovers just killed us," commented sophomore Rodney Wash.

Leading scorers for the Panthers were McCelos (21), Rodney Wash (13), and Matt Martinez (11). McCelos knocked down an impressive six of eight three-point field goals as PNC made 10 of 21 overall from beyond the arc. However, Calumet also knocked in 12 of 23 three-pointers to offset the Panthers hot shooting night.

The Panthers, now 5-5 overall, play again on December 7th when they travel to Illinois-Springfield. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The PNC men's basketball team hit the road for their third straight game and came away with a 76-58 victory over Taylor University in Fort Wayne, IN Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers overcame some hot shooting by Taylor in the first half to take a 42-35 lead at the break. Taylor connected on eight three-pointers to keep the game within reach.

The second half was a different story as PNC's defense pressured the Taylor sharpshooters, allowing just one more three-pointer for the entire game. Overall, Taylor knocked down nine of 30 treys.

Despite making just 26 of 66 shots, the Panthers countered with some impressive shooting from beyond the arc as well. PNC connected on eight of 19 attempts and were led by sophomore Andre Jones and senior Jeremy McCelos. Jones knocked in three from long range while McCelos added two more.

Overall, PNC was led by sophomore Rodney Wash who had 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Jones was the only other Panther to reach double figures with 16 points, while nine other players scored for PNC. This is a recurring theme for PNC who have had balanced scoring attacks and several different players step up on any given night.

Overall, the Panthers led in several key categories, out-rebounding Taylor 47-35 and knocking down 16 of 21 free throws compared to 13 of 19 by Taylor . The Panther defense held Taylor to 31% from the field (18 of 57) and just nine two-point field goals.

The Panthers will play again this Tuesday when they host Purdue University Calumet at the Scholl Center in Michigan City at 7 p.m.

The Purdue North Central basketball team had an off night as they fell 73-49 to Mount Mercy College Tuesday night in Cedar Rapids, IA.

The final score is misleading as the Panthers were in the game until late in the second half thanks to a strong defensive effort. PNC trailed by two with two minutes to play in the first half before Mount Mercy went into the break with a 36-25 lead courtesy of a 9-0 run.

Both teams came out cold in the second half as the teams remained within 10 points of each other. But a late 16-0 run by Mount Mercy put the game away with five minutes remaining.

Sloppy play was the theme of the day as PNC committed 27 turnovers but forced a whopping 29 turnovers. The Panthers also managed to shoot just 30% for the game (20 of 66) and connected on just one of 13 three-pointers, including a difficult 0-7 night for Nate Mrozinski.

Mount Mercy made the most of limited scoring opportunities by sinking 24 of 44 attempts from the floor and 21 of 26 free throws. PNC responded by making just eight of 17 from the charity stripe.

Brian Bogus led the way for the Panthers with 11 points while Adam Dobrzeniecki added 10 points. Rodney Wash contributed 11 rebounds for PNC, who was out-rebounded 35-32.

Mount Mercy avenged an earlier loss this season to the Panthers when they fell 78-57 in Michigan City (IN) on Nov. 17 th . The Panthers are now 4-4 overall while Mount Mercy improved to 3-4.

After opening the season with five of six games at home, the Panthers are currently in a stretch where they will play nine of 11 on the road. PNC will travel to Fort Wayne on Saturday to take on Taylor University at 2 p.m. (e.t.).

The Purdue North Central basketball team dropped a 93-68 decision to Indiana Tech Saturday afternoon in Fort Wayne. The Panthers fell to 4-3 overall while Tech improved to 4-4.

PNC struggled from the outset and fell behind 47-30 at halftime as they connected on just 39% of their shots. Unfortunately, the second half didn't prove to be much better as the Panthers connected on 15 of 33 shots and just one of nine three-pointers to shoot 42% for the game.

Meanwhile, Indiana Tech remained consistently red-hot, knocking down 56% of their shots in both halves. Tech gained a huge edge at the free throw line where they made 27 of 34 attempts while PNC made only 11 of 21 attempts.

Both team committed a high number of turnovers (20 for IT and 18 for PNC) but Tech grabbed 40 rebounds compared to the Panthers' 29.

Individually, sophomore Rodney Wash led the way for PNC with 17 points and senior Jeremy Mc Celos added 12 points.

The Panthers are on the road again Tuesday when they play Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids , IA at 7 p.m. The two teams played earlier this season with PNC emerging with a 78-57 victory.

The PNC Panthers literally stole the game from the Moody Bible Institute Archers, coming up with 87-75 victory Tuesday night at the Scholl Center in Michigan City .

PNC found themselves battling the entire game, especially in the first half. It wasn't that the Panthers were lacking in any aspect of their game, rather it was the constant pressure that the Archers put on PNC by drilling three-pointers all night long.

"They (Archers) were on fire in the first half, they were able to penetrate our double team, and really keep pressure on us with the long shots," said Panther Head Coach, Grayling Gordon.

Gordon was referring to the eight three-point shots (of 14 attempts) that kept the Archers in striking distance throughout the first half.

For the Panthers, the first half was a defensive one. Junior guard Brian Bogus kept them close with three steals and nine points. The steals were crucial in keeping pace with the Archers, considering the steals disrupted the Archers' pace. Overall, PNC stole the ball 16 times from their opponent, with Bogus leading the way with four.

"Every night a different player steps up, Bogus was one of them tonight," said Gordon.

In the first 3:30 of the game the Panthers were scoreless. The Archers had three steals within the first five minutes of the game, making it difficult for the Panthers to find any rhythm. Luckily, Bogus was there to ignite the Panthers with a three-point shot, followed by a steal and an easy lay up that drew a foul. Bogus converted it to complete the three-point-play.

With 14:45 to go in the first half, the Panthers began moving the ball effectively, leading to an offensive rush. Efforts by sophomores Rodney Wash, and Andre Jones gave the Panthers their first lead of the night with 11:35 left in the first.

After an impressive defensive display of rebounding and steals, PNC was able to capitalize on Moody's turnovers. Wash took control under the boards, and Bogus stole the ball twice within a minute. The defensive efforts led to a surge of Panther points, which put them ahead by 10 with 11:30 to go in the half.

The lead was short lived however; as the Archers quickly regrouped and once again began draining three-point shots. From the 2:00 mark in, the Archers drained four of four three-point shots, giving them a 38-36 lead at half.

"We took our double team off in the second half because it just wasn't working," said Gordon. "We switched everything on the perimeter, and really went after their three-point shooters."

The adjustments were exactly what PNC needed to start fresh in the second half.

Bogus continued his defensive attack, stealing the ball in the opening minutes of the second half, leading to a three-point shot by junior Sylvester James.

Wash continually drove the lane, drew fouls and converted traditional three-point plays. He finished with a career high 29 points on the night, along with nine rebounds.

The Archers kept themselves in the game when the three-pointers began to add up once again, bringing the game to a tie with 11:00 to go. It was at this point the Panthers decided to try their luck from down town.

"It was our turn to get hot," added Gordon.

The final blows were delivered to the Archers when senior Nate Mrozinski drained four three-point shots over the final eight minutes of the game, giving him 12 points on the night. Senior Matt Martinez also made a three-pointer, topping off his 11 points, while Wash continued his dominance.

"The win only pushes PNC further in the right direction and I'm just glad I can do my part," Wash said after the game.

The Panthers, now 4-2 overall, play again this Saturday at 3 p.m. verses Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne .

The Purdue North Central Panthers came to the Scholl Center in Michigan City with one thing in mind Friday night, to earn respect. PNC came through with a significant 78-57 win over Mount Mercy College (IA), a team that's receiving votes in the latest Division II, NAIA poll. The win gives the Panthers their first victory over a nationally recognized team in school history.

"It is such a huge win for us considering our disappointment last week - not only did we gain confidence, we found a spot for ourselves in the record books," said senior guard Matt Martinez.

The Panthers' offense started strong in the first half hitting 7 of 12 three pointers, and 18 of 33 field goals. Junior forward Sylvester James had a break out night hitting 2 of 3 long balls, to help carry the Panthers in the first half.

Luckily PNC's offense created a buffer on the score board, because the Panthers' defense was not taking off like the offense did in the first half. Although PNC was up 45-33 at the break, Head Coach Grayling Gordon knew adjustments were needed as the Panthers had only grabbed three offensive rebounds.

"We emphasized at half time our need for more boards, especially on the offensive side of it," said Gordon. "We needed the rebounds to increase our lead against this dangerous team." Needless to say, the pep talk proved effective.

It became apparent that getting rebounds was on top of the priority list going into the second half. PNC established their selves under the basket, pulling down 12 offensive rebounds, along with 24 defensive boards. Leading in the rebounding category was sophomore forward Rodney Wash , who was responsible for 11 rebounds and added 10 points on the night.

"We knew that we had to come out the more physical team in the second half and we knew it was important to grab the boards," said junior center Adam Dobrzeniecki, who was credited with 8 rebounds on the night.

The Panthers maintained a solid lead throughout the game, in large part due to crucial three-pointers, answering back each time Mount Mercy posed a threat for the lead. Senior guard Nate Mrozinski hit two of four three-point shots, and senior guard Jeremy McCelos shot a perfect game, going two of two from long range.

The Panthers showed their depth off the bench as 12 different players scored and nobody played longer than 25 minutes. The game concluded with sophomore guard Scott Adams nailing a three-pointer for his first collegiate field goal.

Matt Martinez found his stride in the second half going 3 of 5 from the field, and hitting a three pointer.

"Its great when all our guys get in the game, it really shows that the win was a team effort," said Gordon.

Leading Scorers for the Panthers were Terry Polk (12 points) and Wash (10 points), while Andre Jones and Adam Dobzeniecki each had 9 points on the night.

The win puts the Panthers at 3-2 on the year while Mt. Mercy fell to 1-3. PNC plays again this Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Scholl Center in Michigan City verses Moody Bible Institute.

The Indiana University Southeast Grenadiers stayed one step ahead of Purdue North Central all game, resulting in a disappointing 84-79 Panther's loss Saturday afternoon at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.

The Panthers found themselves playing catch up nearly the entire game, but at no point did the game become out of reach. PNC battled back from several deficits, including a 12 point Grenadier advantage near the end of the game.

The Panthers defense played a respectable first half, earning five steals, and 15 total rebounds. But each time their offense started to make headway, fouls offset the momentum.

The Grenadiers capitalized on the Panther's mistakes, shooting 10 of 15 from the free throw line in the first half.

"Free throws just killed us tonight, we couldn't make ours, and they made theirs," commented sophomore forward Andre Jones.

During the first half the Panthers were down by nine points with 8:12 remaining. PNC battled back with an offensive charge that started when Jones hit a three pointer with 6:56 left in the half.

The Panthers began their full court press, which resulted in four Grenadier turnovers in less then four minutes. Hugh Howard came up with a steal that led to a three-pointer by junior Brian Bogus, which pulled PNC within 6 points.

Junior center Adam Dobrzeniecki quickly put the ball back into PNC's hands with a defensive rebound, which led to a fast break and an easy jump shot by junior forward Terry Polk. The shot put the Panthers within 2 points.

The Grenadiers answered back however, draining four three pointers in the first half, all seemingly coming at times when the Panthers had their best chances to take the lead.

"They (Grenadiers) had a lot more intensity then us in the first half and made shots when they needed to," said senior guard Nate Mrozinski.

The second half started off well for the Panthers. Dobrzeniecki came out of the gate with four points in the first 1:30 of the half and sophomore Rodney Wash also came out big, scoring on a jump shot that drew a foul. Wash converted the free throw to complete the three point play.

The surge of offense came to an abrupt end however, when fouls and turnovers caught up with the Panthers. The Panthers turned the ball over eight times in the second half and gave the Grenadiers 31 free throw shots, resulting in 24 points.

On the other hand, PNC found difficulty at the free throw line, shooting 15 of 24. Missed free throws played a significant role in the loss, as the misses came at times where the Panthers were down by only a few points.