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The Purdue North Central Men’s Basketball team ended their season Monday night in Hammond with a 75-53 defeat against Calumet College of St. Joseph in the first round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament.  The victory moved CCSJ to a second round match-up verses the number one seed, Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee Wednesday night. 

The Panthers ended the season 10-21 overall and 2-8 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (5^th place), while Calumet improved to 16-15 overall after finishing fourth in conference play at 4-6.

The two teams had split their two contests during the regular season, and it looked like things would go down to the wire after a physical first-half.  CCSJ took just a 32-26 advantage into the break, despite their significant size advantage.  PNC Sophomore Adam Dobrzeniecki, the CCAC Player of the Year, kept the Panthers close by hauling down nine rebounds in the first half.

In the second half however, CCSJ outscored PNC 43-27 and gradually expanded their lead about five minutes into the half.  A cold spell from the field by the Panthers limited PNC’s comeback attempt despite a furious effort.

Overall, PNC shot 32.4% from the field (23 of 71) and was just 11 of 40 in the second half (27.5%).  CCSJ ended with a shooting percentage of 46.2% (30 of 65).  The Panthers were held to 3 of 24 from behind the arc and made four of six free throw attempts.  CCSJ pushed the ball inside and shot just nine three-pointers, making three of them.  CCSJ also made 12 of 19 free throw attempts.

Individually, Dobrzeniecki led the way with 14 points and 15 rebounds, Drew Dixon added 12 points and 10 rebounds and Terry Polk contributed 10 points for the Panthers.

The young Panthers will look to gain from this year’s experiences and have a breakout season next year.  PNC returns all but two players from this year’s squad, seniors Julian Jones and Mike Gasik.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team finished up their regular season Saturday with a 79-69 defeat against Trinity International University (15-17, 6-4 CCAC) in Deerfield, IL.  The 10-point loss left the Panthers with an overall record of 10-20 and 2-8 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. 

The Panthers were down three at halftime, but ran out of energy in the second-half.  PNC’s Matt Martinez scored a season-high 21 points in the Panther loss.  Adam Dobrzeniecki had 14 points and Drew Dixon followed with 11 points. 

Overall, the Panthers shot 40% from the field and 41% from three-point territory, but their defense was unable to stop Trinity’s Josh Edmon who had 29 points and 9 rebounds.  Trinity International University shot 50% from the field and 38% from three-point range.

The CCAC’s 5^th place Panthers enter their Post-Season Tournament Monday February 21^st when they face the 4^th place Calumet College of St. Joseph (15-15 overall, 4-6 CCAC) at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana at 7pm.  PNC and Calumet College split in their two meetings this season in two very well matched games.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team won their last home game of the season Tuesday night with an 86-71 non-conference victory over Taylor University-Fort Wayne.  PNC improved to 10-19 overall while Taylor dropped to 13-13.

The Panthers led by just two points at halftime (34-32) after shooting only 35% from the field in the first-half.  However, PNC came out of the locker room on a tear and improved their second-half shooting to an impressive 55% from the field and 41% from three-point range. 

All eight Panthers contributed to the 15-point victory with five players scoring in double figures.  The Panthers were led by the all-around play of Adam Dobrzeniecki (20 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocked shots) and Drew Dixon (16 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocked shots and 1 steal).  Tyler Moore and Matt Martinez each had 11 points, while Terry Polk added 10 points.  Mike Gasik (8 points), Julian Jones (6 points), and Kevin Potchen (4 points) completed the scoring.

Before the game Gasik and Jones were honored on Senior Night for their contributions to the program.  Gasik will graduate this spring with a degree in Business Management, while Jones will graduate this December with a degree in Psychology.

PNC’s travels to Trinity International (Deerfield, IL) Saturday for their final regular season game in another Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference match-up.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm.

Pairings for the CCAC tournament will be determined after all CCAC games on Saturday are completed.  PNC will play Monday night at a time and place to be announced.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team won their second Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game this season with a 61-58 victory over Judson College Saturday night in Elgin, IL.  The Panther win improved their overall record to 9-19 and 2-7 in the conference, while Judson fell to 8-19 and 1-7.

The Panthers shot 36% from the field, 35% from three-point range and 61% from the foul line.  PNC’s Tyler Moore (3), Julian Jones (4) and Terry Polk (2) combined for 9 steals to lead the Panther’s defensive effort.   PNC forced Judson to turn the ball over 19 times while committing just six turnovers themselves.

Moore led the Panthers with 21-points (including 5 of 10 on three-pointers) and Adam Dobrzeniecki contributed 15 points and eight rebounds.  Drew Dixon led PNC with nine rebounds.

The win moved PNC out of the cellar and into fifth place in the CCAC – ahead of Judson.      

The Panthers host Taylor University-Fort Wayne this Tuesday February 15^th, in their final home game of the season at the Scholl Center in Michigan City, IN. at 7pm.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball Team was defeated 87-66 Wednesday night in Milwaukee by conference-leading Cardinal Stritch University.  The Panther loss drops their overall record to 8-19 and 1-7 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.  Stritch improved to 20-10 and 8-1. 

The Wolves opened the game with a 20-2 run that led to a 16-point first-half lead over the Panthers (44-28). 

Overall, Cardinal Stritch gathered 15 steals and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over 20 times.  The Wolves shot 48% from the field in their 21-point victory. 

Drew Dixon and Julian Jones led PNC’s scoring with 14-points each.

The Panthers travel to Elgin, IL to meet Judson College (8-18 overall, 1-6 CCAC) on Saturday, February 12^th at 7:30pm.

Trinity Christian College Trolls defeated the Purdue University North Central Panthers 73-70 in Saturday’s Chicagoland Conference rematch.  The lead never reached double digits for either team in the forty-minute battle. 

With 3:18 to go in the first-half the Panthers were up 32-28 before the Trolls went on an 8–0 run to go up four points before heading into the locker room.  The Panthers shot 50% from the field and 86% from three-point range before their three-minute breakdown that closed out the half.  PNC’s Tyler Moore shot 5-6 from behind the three-point arc to help keep the Panthers within striking distance.

Solid shooting continued throughout the second-half for both squads as the Panthers battled through the final seconds of play shooting 51% from the field and 64% from three point arc and the Trolls shot 52% from the field and 53% from three point range.  The Panthers tied the score four different times throughout the half, but were unable to pull ahead before the game clock ran out. 

PNC had four players scoring in double-digits led by Tyler Moore (18-points), Julian Jones (15-points), Adam Dobrzeniecki (14-points), and Drew Dixon (10-points). 

PNC falls to 8-18 overall and 1-6 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The Panthers travel to Milwaukee, WI for their next match-up to meet the conference leading Cardinal Stritch University Wolves on Wednesday February 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Two minutes and forty-six seconds ticked off the game clock before PNC knocked in the first bucket of the night and went up 3-0 on visiting Calumet College of St. Joseph at the Scholl Center in Michigan City Monday night.  The Panthers never relinquished the lead in a dominating 80-59 victory that saw PNC end their 11 game losing streak.

The Panthers, who just lost to CCSJ 83-69 on Saturday, pushed their biggest lead in the first-half to 15 (38-23) and went into the locker room up 13 points.  The win moved PNC to 8-17 overall and 1-5 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, while CCSJ fell to 12-13 and 2-3.

PNC’s improved defensive effort held Calumet to 35% from the field and 21% from three-point range for the game.  PNC forced 15 turnovers, had 5 blocked shots and 6 steals to help jump-start their offensive strike Monday night.

The Panthers offense picked apart Calumet’s zone defense as they shot a season high 54% from the field and 67% (10 of 15) from three-point range.  All eight PNC Panthers contributed on both ends of the floor and attacked Calumet’s pressure defense in a total team effort. 

PNC’s scoring was led by Drew Dixon (23 points), Adam Dobrzeniecki (11 points), Matt Martinez (11 points) and Tyler Moore (10 points).  Kevin Potchen (8 points), Julian Jones (6 points), Terry Polk (6 points) and Mike Gasik (5 points) all contributed key baskets.  Dixon also had 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 blocked shot in his thirty-nine minutes of play. 

The Panthers travel to Palos Heights, IL Saturday February 5th to meet Trinity Christian College at 3pm for their next conference match-up.  PNC was defeated in triple overtime in their previous meeting, but look to carry over Monday night’s momentum to earn a second CCAC victory.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team lost to host Calumet College 83-69 in Saturday’s Chicagoland Conference match-up.  The Panther loss is their eleventh straight and drops their record to 7-17 overall and 0-5 in conference play.  PNC has not earned a victory since the 18th of December when they were over .500 at 7-6. 

Calumet College had four players score in double figures in their home victory at the Hammond Civic Center.  Calumet shot 54% from the field and 60% from three-point range as they spread the ball around offensively to beat the Panthers.  Calumet’s Mike Oppland led all scoring with 22-points and 12 rebounds.

The Panthers shot 37% from the field, 17% from three-point range and 67% from the free throw line. 

PNC’s scoring was led by Adam Dobrzeniecki (15 points), Drew Dixon (15 points) and Terry Polk (14 points).

The Panthers look to even the score Monday January 31st when they welcome Calumet College to the Scholl Center in Michigan City, IN at 7:30pm.  The game was originally scheduled for January 5^th but was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Trinity International University defeated the Purdue University North Central Panthers Wednesday night at the Scholl Center 89-78.  The Panthers tenth straight loss drops their overall record to 7-16 and 0-4 in the conference.

The Panthers fought hard early causing six lead changes before going down by thirteen at halftime.  Sophomore Tyler Moore and Freshman Kevin Potchen combined for seventeen of the Panthers first-half points including five three-pointers. 

Trinity International out-rebounded the Panthers 40-31 and forced twenty PNC turnovers.  Center Adam Dobrzeniecki fouled out with over nine minutes left in the second-half finishing well under his average with only 11 points and 6 rebounds. 

The Panthers offensive effort was lead by Freshman Terry Polk (16 points) and Junior Drew Dixon (15 points).

PNC Basketball travels to Hammond, IN January 29^th to face Calumet College of St. Joseph’s at 1:00pm.

The Purdue North Central Men’s Basketball team lost Tuesday night 56-55 when they faced the Moody Bible Institute Archers in Chicago, IL.  The 55-point offensive total is currently the Panthers lowest scoring effort of the season and drops their record to 7-15 overall and 0-3 in the CCAC.

PNC shot a dismal 26% from the field and 15% from three-point territory, but were still able to keep it close through the final fifteen seconds of play.  The Archers knocked down two free throws to go up one leaving the Panthers with one final possession.  Unfortunately, PNC was unable to execute while the final seconds ran off the clock. 

Adam Dobrzeniecki led the Panthers with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocked shots, 2 steals and 1 assist.  Senior Guard Julian Jones contributed a personal season-high 14 points in the Panther loss.

The Panthers host Trinity International tomorrow night at the Scholl Center in search of their first conference win.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm. 

The Purdue North Central Men’s Basketball team lost their third consecutive conference game Wednesday night when they fell to visiting Judson College 73-72.  The one point loss is the Panthers eighth game of the season that has been decided by five points or less and fifth game that has been decided by three points or less. 

PNC’s poor defense allowed Judson College to shoot 73% from the field in the first half to take a 42-35 halftime lead. 

The Panthers came back late in the second half to challenge Judson and had an opportunity to win on their final possession with nine seconds to go in the game.  Unfortunately, PNC was unable to execute their offensive play out of a time-out and point guard Drew Dixon missed a fade away desperation jumper with no time left on the clock.

PNC’s Adam Dobrzeniecki led all scorers with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocked shots.  Dobrzeniecki has now scored 59 points in his last two games after scoring 31 on Saturday verses Cardinal Stritch. 

The Panthers (7-13 overall and 0-3 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) travel to Chicago, IL Tuesday January 25^th to meet the Moody Bible Institute Archers at 7:00pm in their next match-up.

The Purdue North Central Men’s Basketball team suffered a 98-81 defeat Saturday in a high scoring shootout against the visiting Wolves of Cardinal Stritch University (WI).  PNC was unable to right their ship in what has now developed into a seven game losing streak, moving their overall record to 7-13 and their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference record to 0-2.  Stritch improved to 13-9 and 4-0.

PNC’s slow start on both ends of the floor allowed Cardinal Stritch to go up early as they scored 53 points in the first-half.  Travis Hill and Marquelle Joyner combined for 22 first-half points for the Wolves, each shooting 100% from the field. 

PNC matched Stritch’s 45 point second half, but poor shooting from behind the three-point arc (5/18) combined with 18 turnovers kept the Panthers from challenging the Wolves’ double-digit lead. 

The Panthers’ Adam Dobrzeniecki led all players with 31 points and 15 rebounds in the losing effort. 

The Panthers seek their first conference win this Wednesday January 19, at the Scholl Center when they host Judson College (6-13 overall, 0-2 conference) at 7:30pm in their fourth straight home game.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team lost their first conference game Wednesday night against Trinity Christian College in triple overtime 94-87.  The home defeat is the Panther’s sixth straight loss, dropping their record to 7-12 overall and 0-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Panthers led at halftime by seven points and had their largest lead early in the second half when they went ahead 36-23.  The lead changed three times throughout the game as Trinity Christian battled back throughout the second half and three overtime periods, shooting 59% from the field. 

The young Panthers however, forced the game to go into overtime and beyond by making clutch shots down the stretch.  Adam Dobrzeniecki (24 points) hit a fade-away, high-arching jumper in the lane at the horn that tied the score at 61 to force the first overtime.  Then, Drew Dixon (16 points) knocked down a three from the top of the key to send the game into a second overtime.  Finally, the Panthers battled back once again when Tyler Moore (who led all scorers with 27 points, including 7 three-pointers) knocked down an incredible, double-clutch, three-pointer off the glass with two defenders draped all over him to send the game into the third and final overtime.

The Panthers defense came up short in the final overtime giving up fourteen points, allowing Trinity Christian to squeak out the victory.  Fatigue seemed to be a deciding factor as five Panthers endured forty plus minutes in the home loss.

The Panthers get another shot at their first conference win when they host Cardinal Stritch at the Scholl Center Saturday January 19 at 3pm.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team lost their fifth straight game Saturday afternoon in a two-point loss to the Peregrines of Purdue Calumet 75-73. 

The Panthers unselfish offensive play and long range shooting kept them within two in the first-half, shooting 56% from three-point range.  All seven Panthers contributed on both ends of the floor and spread the ball around offensively.  Tyler Moore led the Panthers in first-half scoring with 8 points including two three-pointers.     

The Panthers were out rebounded 44-37 and allowed the Peregrines to shoot 53% from the field.  PNC shot 1-12 from three-point range in the second-half and turned the ball over 13 times overall.  Adam Dobrzeniecki (18 points) and Terry Polk (15 points) helped lead a late run by the Panthers to get within two points of Purdue Calumet, but were unable to go ahead. 

PNC’s loss drops their overall record to 7-11 as they prepare for their first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference game Wednesday January 12^th against Trinity Christian College. 

In the opening game verses the host school, the Panthers fell 79-68.  Joemi Byrd scored a game-high 17 points and Hiraman Byrd added 15 points to lead Clarke College while Sam Murley chipped in 15 points and Chris Kiburg 11 for the Crusaders (8-2).

Terry Polk led Purdue North Central in scoring with 15 points. Adam Dobrzeniecki grabbed a game-high 16 caroms for the Panthers.

The Panthers rallied to get back in the game but could not overcome a 41-19 halftime deficit. 

The Panthers fell to UW-Oshkosh two days later by the score of 88-61.  Oshkosh lifted its season record to 9-3 with the win while PNC fell to 7-9.

Andy Jahnke led the Titans in both scoring (21) and rebounding (9). Pete Warning chipped in 12 points.  Matthew Martinez led Purdue North Central ( 7-10) with a game-high 22 points.

UW-Oshkosh led 42-27 at the break and outrebounded the Panthers, 39-25.

In the Panthers’ final game of the tournament for seventh place, PNC lost to Siena Heights (MI) 86-73.

Llyod Cowles scored 18 points, dished out six assists and had five steals to lead Siena Heights University (11-6) to an 86-73 win. Cowles hit seven of 12 attempts from the field and was perfect in four attempts from the charity stripe.

Siena Heights built a 44-33 lead at intermission and led by as many as 16 points in the final half. In addition to Cowles, the Saints also had double-figure scoring performances from Jamie Beach (14), Greg McPherson (13) and Perry Gilbert (12).

Purdue North Central's Adam Dobrzeniecki claimed game honors in both scoring (27) and rebounding (11). Drew Dixon added 19 points and had 10 rebounds for the Panthers.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team was defeated Tuesday night by visiting Indiana University Southeast 70-69.  The one point Panther loss broke a three game winning streak, which brings their overall record to 7-7. 

Almost four minutes went by before a bucket was scored in the first-half.  The Panthers fought to stay within seven before they took their first lead with 1:50 remaining in the first-half (34-33).  Senior Guard Julian Jones’ all-around effort led the Panthers’ comeback and helped knot up the score at 35 before going into the locker room at halftime.

PNC grabbed 55% of the total rebounds and had 25 points from the bench, but were unable to hold on for the victory.  IUSE’s defense had 11 steals, 7 blocked shots and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over 15 times. IUSE shot 51% from the field to eke out the victory.

The Panthers’ offensive effort was lead by Adam Dobrzeniecki (13), Drew Dixon (13), Julian Jones (12) and Terry Polk (10).  PNC shot 36% from the field, 33% from three-point territory, and 69% from the free throw line in the loss. 

PNC travels to Dubuque, Iowa to participate in the Clarke College Tournament from December 26^th through December 31^st.  The Panthers next home game is Wednesday January 5^th when they host Calumet College of St. Joseph’s in their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team improved their overall record to   7-6 in their home victory Saturday over Indiana University South Bend 80-75.  The Panthers have won four out of their last five games and are now on a three-game winning streak.

The Panthers broke out with an early 11-1 lead after the opening tip and never trailed in their home victory.  PNC’s pressure defense held IUSB to twenty-six first-half points and forced eight turnovers in each half.  Freshman Kevin Potchen led the Panthers to a fourteen point first-half lead (40-26) with 10 points, shooting 100% from the field including 4-4 from the free-throw line.

PNC finished the game shooting 50% from the field and 41% from behind the three-point arc.  Four Panthers in double figures (Dixon 20, Moore 17, Potchen 15, Dobrzeniecki 10) and an intense defensive effort helped secure their second home victory of the season. 

The Panthers welcome Indiana University Southeast to the Scholl Center in Michigan City this Tuesday December 21^st at 3:00pm.   

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team won two games this weekend at the Indiana University South Bend Classic and improved their overall record to 6-6.   

PNC defeated Taylor University Fort Wayne on Friday for the second time this season 87-75.

PNC controlled the tempo of the game from the opening tip and challenged the Taylor University defense by spreading the ball around offensively.  The Panthers had nine players score with four starters in double figures.  Adam Dobrzeniecki led PNC with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocked shots. 

The Panthers were 30-38 from the free throw line and shot 46% from the field.  PNC’s defense forced 23 turnovers and did not allow Taylor University to score in transition until late in the second-half.  The Panther bench accounted for 20 points in Friday night’s victory.

PNC won their third game this week in a 26-point victory this Saturday over Indiana University East 94-68.  The Panthers shot 50% from the field and 86% from the free throw line.  All ten Panthers found an offensive bucket and five players reached double figures.  Sophomore Forward Tyler Moore came off the bench to score 11 points including 3 three-pointers.  Adam Dobrzeniecki led the Panthers with 14 points and 6 blocked shots. 

PNC’s defense collected 11 steals, 7 blocked shots and caused Indiana University East to turn the ball over 19 times. 

Following the PNC victory, Dobrzeniecki was named to the IUSB Classic All-Tournament Team.

The Panthers host Indiana University South Bend on December 18^th at the Scholl Center in Michigan City, Indiana.

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team came up short in a 78-58 loss to Grace College Wednesday night at the Scholl Center.  The Panthers first home loss drops their overall record to 4-6.

PNC was unable to recover from the 10-0 opening run by Grace College.  In the first-half, the Lancers out-rebounded the Panthers 17-9 and shot 55% from the field.  With 10:37 left in the half, the Panthers finally began to attack with an aggressive full-court press, which helped cut the Lancer lead to 7 by halftime.

In the second half, after a run by the Panthers cut the lead to six with 10 minutes to go, the Lancers pulled away for the victory.

Overall, PNC shot 32% from the field and finished 1-14 from three-point territory.  The Panthers also turned the ball over 20 times and were out rebounded 48-31, allowing the Lancers to grab 34 defensive rebounds.  

Marcus Moore and Andrew Kipsey led the Lancers with 14 points each.  PNC’s Adam Dobrzeniecki led all scoring with 17 points in the defeat.

The Panthers travel to South Bend, Indiana on Friday to compete in the Indiana University South Bend Classic Tournament.   

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team defeated host Taylor University of Fort Wayne 86-69 on Tuesday to improve their overall record to 4-5.  The win gets PNC off to a great start to a week that features four games for the Panthers. 

PNC had nine players score tonight with five in double figures.  Steve Fox produced a solid performance offensively as he led the Panthers with 18 points.  Fox was 4-4 from three-point territory and added 7 rebounds and 2 assists.  Shallun Culp (14), Drew Dixon (14), Adam Dobrzeniecki (11), and Terry Polk (10) combined for 67 of PNC’s 86 points as the Panthers shot an impressive 51% from the field.

Defensively, PNC blocked 9 shots and forced the Falcons to turn the ball over 15 times.  The Panthers gave up 5 threes, but held the Falcons to just 36% from the field. 

The Panthers host Grace College (5-3) at 7pm Wednesday night at the Scholl Center in their second home game of the season.

Panthers Split In Chicago Classic
November 26-27, 2004

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team earned a second place finish at the St. Xavier University Classic Tournament in Chicago to improve their overall record to 3-5.  The weekend tournament featured St. Xavier University, Purdue University North Central, Indiana University Northwest and the University of Illinois-Springfield.

The PNC Panthers defeated the University of Illinois-Springfield 66-63 in the first round of the tournament.  The Panthers had a strong second-half to fight back from an eight point halftime deficit.  PNC’s defense woke up in the second-half after allowing UIS to shoot 56% from the field in the first-half.  UIS struggled to close out the game only shooting 27% from the field in the second-half and were 3-16 for the game from three-point range.  Overall, the Panther defense forced a whopping 26 turnovers with eight different players having at least one steal.   

PNC’s offense stayed consistent from the field shooting 34% in the first-half and 35% in the second.  The Panthers shot 62% from behind the arc, as Tyler Moore, Drew Dixon, Steve Fox and Matt Martinez combined to knock down eight three-pointers. 

Moore led the Panthers with 17 points including four three-pointers, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot.  Dixon, the only other Panther in double digits, was close behind with 14 points.   

In the championship game on Saturday the Panthers fell to the No. 20 ranked St. Xavier University 65-47.  SXU Senior Phillip Watson scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to lead the Cougars.  The Panthers could not recover from the eight point first half deficit, and gave up 16 second-half points off turnovers.  Freshman Guard Shallun Culp led PNC scoring with 13 points.  

Tuesday night begins the first of four games for the Panthers this week when they travel to Taylor University Fort Wayne (4-3).  PNC will try to continue Taylor University’s two-game losing streak.  The Panthers then host Grace College (5-3) at the Scholl Center on Wednesday for their second home game of the season as they try to improve their overall record to .500.  This weekend the Panthers join Indiana University South Bend, Indiana University East and Taylor University Fort Wayne at the IUSB Classic two-game tournament in South Bend, Indiana.     

The Purdue University North Central Basketball team broke a two-game losing streak when they defeated Moody Bible Institute 75-60 Tuesday night in their home opener at the Scholl Center in Michigan City.  The victory moves the Panthers to 2-4 overall.

The Panther defense made it difficult for the Archers in the second-half when they held Moody Bible to a total of 28 points, including just one three-pointer. 

PNC’s Adam Dobrzeniecki led all scoring with 19 points and rounded out the night with 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.  Junior Guard Drew Dixon had 14 points and Freshman Forward Terry Polk added 11 points for the Panthers.  Purdue North Central spread the ball around offensively with all ten Panthers getting on the scoreboard.  The PNC bench outscored the Archer bench 19-7 in the fifteen-point victory.

The Panthers travel to Chicago, Ill. this weekend to compete in the St. Xavier University Classic were they will meet the University of Illinois-Springfield in the first round.

The Panthers enter tonight’s contest with a 1-4 overall record after coming off two tough losses in the IU Southeast Tournament. 

In their opening game against always tough Goshen, the Panthers fell 76-71. Adam Dobrzeniecki led the way with 24 points and nine rebounds while Drew Dixon added 18 points and Shallun Culp contributed 14 points. The Panthers led 38-36 at the half before the Maple Leafs squeaked out the victory.     

In the consolation game PNC suffered another heartbreaker by falling 72-70 to IU Northwest, the second time they have lost to them this season. Culp led the way with 19 points while Dobrzeniecki added 12 and Tyler Moore chipped in with 10 points. The Panthers were behind 34-27 at the half and closed the gap but couldn’t quite get over the hump despite outscoring Northwest 43-38 in the second half.

Overall, the Panthers have been led by the solid inside play of Dobrzeniecki who is leading the team in both scoring and rebounding at 18.4 points per game and  6.6 rebounds per game. Culp is second in scoring at 11.2 points per game while Drew Dixon is the only other Panther to average double figures at 10.6 points per game. Dixon also adds 5.0 rebounds per game, second best on the team.

Oddly, despite the 1-4 start, the Panthers have outscored their opponents overall on the season 361-357. PNC also leads their opponents in rebounds (29.8 to 22.2) and steals (44-20). A big difference for the Panthers has been from the foul line where they have  been outscored 91-60 and have committed 29 more fouls than their opponents thus far.    

After tonight, the Panthers next games are Nov. 26^th and Nov. 27^th at the St. Xavier Classic in Chicago.

The Moody Bible Institute Archers enter tonight’s contest verses Purdue North Central with a 1-2 overall record. The Archers lost their season opener to NAIA 17^th ranked Viterbo College by the score of 83-66 before splitting two games last weekend in their own “Big Four” Tournament. In those games the Archers defeated Division III Westminster College of Missouri 63-60 before falling in the championship game to Calumet College of St. Joseph 

Against Viterbo, the Archers gave the #17 ranked Hawks all they could handle before faltering down the stretch.  They jumped out early to a 13-7 lead behind great floor leadership and defense from junior Larry Rose. The Hawks' team, however, proved to be too strong for the Archers as they exploded for a 39-12 run the rest of the half. Viterbo also relied on their experience and height with the entire team back from last season’s 18-15 campaign and all starters 6’3 or taller.

In the second half Moody kept the lead under fifteen most of the way, only to see it increase through a strong fast break and tenacious defense from Viterbo. Leading the Archers off the bench was sophomore Bill Mitchell, who despite some late foul trouble, was able to post the first double-double of the season for the Archers. With six minutes to play the Archer men looked to make one final run, but Viterbo iced the game with two three-point baskets.

In the end, Viterbo’s experience and height made the difference. The Hawks returned their entire team back from last season’s 18-15 campaign and all starters were 6’3 or taller. 

No other information, coaches’ biographies or statistics were available from Moody Bible Institute or their opponents’ websites and athletic departments.

The Purdue North Central Basketball team took third place this weekend at the Goshen College Tournament.  The weekend tournament featured Goshen College, Concordia University, Purdue University North Central and Indiana University East.

The Panthers fell to Concordia University in overtime 79 – 74 in the first round of the tournament on Friday night.  PNC forced Concordia to turn the ball over twenty nine times, but were unable to capitalize on their defensive efforts in the five-point loss.  The Panthers shot 42.3% from the field, but were only three for nine in overtime.  Adam Dobrzeniecki led all scoring with 19 points.

PNC earned its first victory this season in the second round of the tournament on Saturday when they defeated Indiana University East 77 -51.  The Panthers shot a season high 54.4% from the field with four players scoring in double digits.  Drew Dixon led the Panthers with 17 points and Adam Dobrzeniecki had 14 points.  Dobrzeniecki shot 100% from the field and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

PNC’s next game will be this weekend when they travel to New Albany, IN to participate in the Indiana University Southeast Tournament November 12^th and 13^th.  The Panthers are preparing this week to face undefeated Goshen College (3-0) in the first round on Friday night.

The Purdue North Central Basketball team fell to Indiana University Northwest 79-69 Wednesday night in Hammond (IN) on the Purdue Calumet campus.  The game was part of the Kettle Classic that featured Purdue Calumet verses Calumet College in the second game of the evening.

The Panthers fell behind early but rallied back to enter halftime down by just eight points at 40-32.  The difference early in the game was the Redhawk’s ability to connect from long range as they nailed eight of 17 three-pointers before halftime, including several that stopped PNC runs.

PNC battled back in the second half and cut the deficit to one point at 49-48, but couldn’t sustain the momentum to overtake IUN.  The Redhawks outscored the Panthers by a slim 39-37 margin in the half as the teams seemed evenly matched.

Overall, PNC’s relentless defense kept them in the game by forcing 21 IUN turnovers.  It was the Panthers shooting woes that cost them as they made 28 of 79 shots overall (35.4%) while hitting just two of 18 from beyond the arc (11.1%).  IUN connected on 29 of 58 shots (50%) but hit an impressive 10 of 20 three-pointers (50%).

Individually, Adam Dobrzeniecki was the only Panther to reach double figures with 23 points and 13 rebounds.  He made seven of 17 shots from the field and nine of 12 free throws.  Lathaniel Staten was one of four IUN players to reach double figures and led them with 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

PNC’s next game will be this weekend when they travel to Goshen, IN to participate in the Goshen College Tournament November 5^th and 6^th. 

The Purdue North Central basketball team tips off the season Wednesday night in the Kettle Classic at Purdue Calumet verses Indiana University Northwest.  The Panthers will be looking to make another jump in the win column under third-year coach Grayling Gordon.

Last year PNC finished 10-20 overall and 3-9 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.  This significant improvement followed Gordon’s first year when the Panthers finished 3-29 overall.  This year Gordon is shooting for a .500 record or better.

“We’ve made some major improvements,” Gordon said.  “We’ve been able to really add some depth and talent.  We’re getting more and more talent, more skilled players.”

With the strong combination of returning players plus newcomers, Gordon is expecting the Panthers to improve overall and in the competitive CCAC.

Key returning players include sophomore Adam Dobrzeniecki, Tyler Moore and Shallun Culp. 

Dobrzeniecki led the team in scoring as a freshman last season at 17.6 points per game while pulling down almost eight boards per game.  He is an imposing presence on defense and presents match-up problems on offense with his lengthy build.

Moore, also a sophomore, will move to power forward this year and gives the Panthers another scoring threat.  Last year he averaged 11.4 points per game as a small forward at 6’3.  He should also be able to use his quickness and perhaps get to the line on a frequent basis. 

Culp will give the backcourt stability and is an all around good athlete. 

Gordon expects several new recruits to make an immediate impact.  Drew Dixon brings some experience as a transfer from Ancilla Community College and some size to the guard position at 6’3, 205 lbs.  Terry Polk is a 6’3 freshman forward from Lew Wallace High School (Gary, IN) who should bring some quickness to the position.  And Kevin Potchen brings size (6’6) and athleticism with him from Morton High School in Hammond.

With these players and several others ready to step up in Gordon’s up-tempo style of play, good things are on the horizon for the young Panthers, who have just one senior on the team in Julian Jones.

“I think the building blocks are in place,” Gordon said.  “We’re headed in the right direction.  Now, we’ve just got to deliver the goods.  We want to go .500 at least and get into the top tier of the league.”

The Purdue North Central Basketball team took a break from preparing for their season-opener to help out the local community at a basketball clinic held at East Chicago High School Friday evening.

Panther Head Coach Grayling Gordon used his connections to allow his team to do all on-court demonstrations.  Gordon attended East Chicago Washington High School.  The event gave Gordon the opportunity to showcase PNC and his basketball program in front of hundreds of youngsters and coaches.       

Six Division I basketball coaches shared their wisdom at the Indiana Basketball News-sponsored basketball school at E.C. Central.  The lineup included Iowa Coach Steve Alford, Ball State coach Tim Buckley, Valparaiso coach Homer Drew, Western Michigan coach Stephen Hawkins, IUPUI coach Ron Hunter, and Purdue associate head coach Matt Painter.

“This opportunity enabled our team to learn some new concepts dealing with defense, offense and shooting,” said Panther guard Matt Martinez, a sophomore from Portage, IN.  “I feel that everyone learned something from this clinic and it was a great opportunity for us to work in the community.”