Youngstown State vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Jan. 10, 2024 | Beeghly Center
Youngstown, Ohio | 6:30 p.m.

Broadcast Information
Radio: 570 WKBN (Robb Schmidt/Ron Postesta) | Listen
TV: ESPN+ | Watch
App Audio - iHeartRadio App
Live Stats

Tipoff Notes
The Youngstown State men's basketball team (11-5, 3-2 Horizon League) continues its  three-game homestand when it hosts Purdue Fort Wayne in a crucial Horizon League match up on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in Youngstown, Ohio. The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.

Up Next
The Penguins host Wright State, Friday, Jan. 12, in a nationally televised game on ESPN2. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. at Beeghly Center. 

Last Time Out
Youngstown State is coming off a 75-65 win over IUPUI on Jan. 7 at Beeghly Center. Brett Thompson scored a season-high 20 points and tied a career high with four 3-pointers. Ziggy Reid posted 14 points and John Lovelace, Jr. added 13 points.

Scouting Purdue Fort Wayne
Purdue Fort Wayne enters the game with a 13-3 overall record and a 4-1 mark in Horizon League play. Leading the Mastodons, who average 84.4 points per game, is Rasheed Bello and Jalen Jackson with 15.1 points per game each. Anthony Roberts and Quinton Morton-Robertson are also averaging double-figures with 13.8 and 13.1 points per game, respectively.

Series vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
This is the 11th meeting between Youngstown State and Purdue Fort Wayne in a series that dates back to 2002.  The series is tied at 5-5, but the Mastodons have won three of the last four contests. Youngstown State won the last meeting, 81-72, on Feb. 10, 2023, in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Penguins own a 4-2 record against the Mastodons at Beeghly Center.

A Win Would...

• Improve YSU's record to 12-5 overall and 4-2 in Horizon League play.
• Be the second straight year YSU began 12-5 after 17 games.
• Give YSU a 9-1 home record.
• Be YSU's sixth win over Purdue Fort Wayne.
• Be the fifth win over the Mastodons at Beeghly Center.
• Mark the second straight win over Purdue Fort Wayne.
• Be the 232nd in Head Coach Jerrod Calhoun's career and his 108th at Youngstown State.
• Make Jerrod Calhoun the third coach in school history to record at least 108 wins.
• Be Jerrod Calhoun's fourth win over Purdue Fort Wayne.

Best Starts
A win over Purdue Fort Wayne will mark the second straight year Youngstown State began the season 12-5 after 17 games.  It would mark the fourth time since 1981-82 that YSU started a season with at least 12 wins after 17 contests. 

Guins Beyond the Arc
Over the last three games, the Penguins have been on fire from beyond arc. Youngstown State has made 34 3s over the last three contests for an average of 11.3 per game. The Penguins have made at least 10 3s in a game seven times this season and connected on 38 percent from behind the arc in Horizon League play. 

BT Nets Season-Best
Senior Brett Thompson turned in his best performance as a Penguin in YSU's 75-65 win over IUPUI. Thompson scored a season-high 20 points and tied a career-high with four 3-pointers. He also dished out six assists.

Dynes Denying
Freshman Gabe Dynes has been a tremendous rim protector this season for the Penguins. Dynes has 33 blocks overall and needs seven more to set the YSU freshman blocks record. He leads the Horizon League in total blocks and 2.1 blocks per game overall. Dynes is also averaging 3.2 blocks per game in league play.

Home Sweet Home
Youngstown State has been quite protective of its home court over the last four-plus seasons. The Penguins had won 15 straight regular-season home games and have won 18 of the last 21 overall. YSU has won 58 games at Beeghly Center since the start of the 2019-20 season and own a 58-19 mark during that time. 

Penguin Portal Success
Over the last two-plus seasons, Youngstown State has flourished during the transfer portal era. The Penguins own a record of 54-30 over the past two-plus campaigns, and produced five all-conference selections. Youngstown State has been tough to beat at home over the last two-plus years posting a 35-11 mark.

Thompson Turnin Up 
Youngstown State fifth-year senior Brett Thompson has turned up his offensive production since being inserted into the starting lineup nine games ago. Since that time, Youngstown State owns a record of 8-3. Thompson has been impressive against Horizon League opponents averaging a team-best 16.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. Against the league, Thompson is shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and 46.4 percent from 3-point range.