# 2017–18 Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball team

The 2017–18 Fort Wayne Mastodons men's basketball team represented Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mastodons were led by fourth-year head coach Jon Coffman and played their home games at the Gates Sports Center and the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum as members of the Summit League. They finished the season 18–15, 7–7 in Summit League play to finish in fourth place. On December 18, 2017 the Fort Wayne Mastodons traveled to Bloomington for a game with the state powerhouse Indiana Hoosiers. In a stunning upset they beat Indiana on their home court for the first time ever on national television. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tournament to North Dakota State. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to Central Michigan.
The season was the last in which the Mastodons represented IPFW. On July 1, 2018, IPFW will split into two separate institutions. The school's academic programs in health sciences will be governed solely by Indiana University under the banner of Indiana University Fort Wayne. All other academic programs will be governed solely by Purdue University as Purdue University Fort Wayne. The athletic program will continue to use its current branding as the Fort Wayne Mastodons, but will exclusively represent Purdue Fort Wayne, with the school colors changing to the old gold and black used by Purdue's main campus.

## Previous season

The Mastodons finished the 2016–17 season 20–13, 8–8 in Summit League play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Summit League tournament to Omaha. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Ball State in the first round and received a second round bye before losing in the quarterfinals to Texas A&M–Corpus Christi.

## Preseason

In a poll of league coaches, media, and sports information directors, the Mastodons were picked to finish in fourth place. Junior guard John Konchar was named to the preseason All-Summit First Team and senior guard Bryson Scott was named to the Second Team.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| Nov 10, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Oakland | L 71–85 | 0–1 | 31 – Scott | 10 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Athletics Center O'rena (3,579) Rochester, MI |
| Nov 12, 2017* 4:40 pm | | Defiance | W 114–59 | 1–1 | 21 – Scott | 8 – Konchar | 7 – Scott | Hilliard Gates Sports Center (1,316) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Nov 15, 2017* 7:00 pm, CN81 | | Delaware State Adolph Rupp Classic | W 85–71 | 2–1 | 20 – Harrell | 12 – Konchar | 5 – Weir | Memorial Coliseum (1,353) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Nov 18, 2017* 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at UIC Adolph Rupp Classic | W 67–51 | 3–1 | 19 – Scott | 16 – Konchar | 4 – Scott | UIC Pavilion (1,947) Chicago, IL |
| Nov 22, 2017* 8:00 pm, SECN | | at No. 8 Kentucky Adolph Rupp Classic | L 67–86 | 3–2 | 19 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Rupp Arena (20,645) Lexington, KY |
| Nov 25, 2017* 8:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at East Tennessee State Adolph Rupp Classic | L 73–83 | 3–3 | 24 – Scott | 7 – Konchar | 5 – Weir | Freedom Hall Civic Center (2,919) Johnson City, TN |
| Nov 28, 2017* 7:00 pm, CN81 | | Detroit | W 91–82 | 4–3 | 34 – Scott | 13 – Konchar | 5 – Scott | Memorial Coliseum (1,357) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Nov 30, 2017* 7:00 pm, CN81 | | Indiana Kokomo | W 99–63 | 5–3 | 17 – King | 8 – Stevens | 3 – Tied | Memorial Coliseum (1,371) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Dec 3, 2017* 2:00 pm, CN81 | | SIU Edwardsville | W 86–71 | 6–3 | 31 – Scott | 10 – Konchar | 5 – Weir | Memorial Coliseum (1,315) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Dec 6, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Akron | L 79–83 | 6–4 | 23 – Konchar | 7 – Konchar | 4 – Tied | James A. Rhodes Arena (2,340) Akron, OH |
| Dec 9, 2017* 1:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Miami (OH) | L 73–81 | 6–5 | 13 – Tied | 8 – Taylor | 5 – Konchar | Millett Hall (811) Oxford, OH |
| Dec 16, 2017* 2:00 pm, CN81 | | Stetson | W 88–84 | 7–5 | 34 – Scott | 12 – Levitch | 2 – Tied | Memorial Coliseum (1,237) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Dec 18, 2017* 8:00 pm, BTN | | at Indiana | W 92–72 | 8–5 | 28 – Harrell | 7 – Konchar | 7 – Konchar | Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) Bloomington, IN |
| Dec 21, 2017* 11:00 am | | vs. Liberty New Orleans Classic semifinals | W 75–64 | 9–5 | 17 – Harrell | 6 – Tied | 7 – Konchar | Xavier University Convocation Center (300) New Orleans, LA |
| Dec 22, 2017* 3:30 pm | | vs. Louisiana Tech New Orleans Classic championship | L 76–85 | 9–6 | 27 – Scott | 6 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Xavier University Convocation Center (250) New Orleans, LA |
| Dec 28, 2017* 7:00 pm | | Olivet | W 99–93 | 10–6 | 31 – Scott | 6 – Tied | 6 – Tied | Hilliard Gates Sports Center (919) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Dec 30, 2017* 4:30 pm | | Concordia (MI) | W 92–59 | 11–6 | 18 – Scott | 12 – Taylor | 7 – Scott | Hilliard Gates Sports Center (1,003) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Summit League regular season |||||||||
| Jan 4, 2018 8:00 pm | | at Oral Roberts | L 60–76 | 11–7 (0–1) | 20 – Scott | 9 – Konchar | 3 – 3 tied | Mabee Center (2,219) Tulsa, OK |
| Jan 6, 2018 3:00 pm | | at Denver | W 82–63 | 12–7 (1–1) | 20 – Scott | 9 – Konchar | 4 – Tied | Magness Arena (1,570) Denver, CO |
| Jan 11, 2018 7:00 pm, CN81 | | South Dakota | L 58–68 | 12–8 (1–2) | 26 – Scott | 11 – Konchar | 4 – Konchar | Memorial Coliseum (1,464) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Jan 13, 2018 7:00 pm, CN81 | | Omaha | W 82–78 | 13–8 (2–2) | 26 – Scott | 13 – Konchar | 9 – Konchar | Memorial Coliseum (1,590) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Jan 17, 2018 8:00 pm | | at Western Illinois | L 74–75 $^{OT}$ | 13–9 (2–3) | 17 – Scott | 7 – Tied | 4 – Tied | Western Hall (482) Macomb, IL |
| Jan 20, 2018 1:00 pm, CN81 | | North Dakota State | W 92–88 | 14–9 (3–3) | 31 – Scott | 7 – Harrell | 4 – Konchar | Memorial Coliseum (2,036) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Jan 27, 2018 1:00 pm, Midco | | at South Dakota State | L 76–78 | 14–10 (3–4) | 23 – Konchar | 9 – Tied | 4 – Konchar | Frost Arena (3,536) Brookings, SD |
| Feb 1, 2018 7:00 pm, CN81 | | Oral Roberts | W 85–75 | 15–10 (4–4) | 23 – Scott | 8 – Levitch | 7 – Konchar | Memorial Coliseum (1,481) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Feb 3, 2018 2:00 pm, CN81 | | Denver | W 91–63 | 16–10 (5–4) | 25 – Scott | 8 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Memorial Coliseum (2,010) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Feb 8, 2018 8:00 pm | | at South Dakota | L 69–86 | 16–11 (5–5) | 23 – Scott | 12 – Konchar | 2 – Tied | Sanford Coyote Sports Center (2,387) Vermillion, SD |
| Feb 10, 2018 8:00 pm | | at Omaha | L 85–90 | 16–12 (5–6) | 22 – Konchar | 7 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Baxter Arena (4,106) Omaha, NE |
| Feb 14, 2018 7:00 pm | | Western Illinois | W 90–74 | 17–12 (6–6) | 20 – Harrell | 9 – Taylor | 6 – Konchar | Hilliard Gates Sports Center (948) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Feb 17, 2018 3:00 pm, Midco | | at North Dakota State | W 84–72 | 18–12 (7–6) | 24 – Harrell | 8 – Konchar | 8 – Konchar | Scheels Center (3,348) Fargo, ND |
| Feb 24, 2018 7:00 pm | | at South Dakota State | L 90–97 | 18–13 (7–7) | 31 – Konchar | 9 – Taylor | 6 – Konchar | Hilliard Gates Sports Center (1,824) Fort Wayne, IN |
| Summit League tournament |||||||||
| Mar 4, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | (4) | vs. (5) North Dakota State | L 82–86 | 18–14 | 29 – Konchar | 12 – Konchar | 6 – Konchar | Denny Sanford Premier Center (5,692) Sioux Falls, SD |
| CIT |||||||||
| Mar 12, 2018* 12:00 pm, CBSSN | | vs. Central Michigan First Round – Hugh Durham Classic | L 89–94 | 18–15 | 28 – Scott | 7 – Konchar | 5 – Tied | Memorial Coliseum (1,234) Fort Wayne, IN |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||