FORT WAYNE – When: 8 p.m. today
Where: Vermillion, S.D.
Records: IPFW 10-17, 4-12 Summit League; South Dakota 9-17, 4-12
Radio: 1380 AM
IPFW leaders: Frank Gaines (20.5 ppg), Gaines (5.6 rpg), Jonny Marlin (3.5 apg)
South Dakota leaders: Charlie Westbrook (18 ppg), Ricardo Andreotti (7.1 rpg), Louie Krogman (3.9 apg)
Key matchup: Even though Westbrook hit his scoring average on the nose in South Dakota’s loss to IPFW this season, it was 6-foot-10 center Trevor Gruis who lit up the Mastodons with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Two other players scored in double figures for South Dakota: Allen Saint-Gelas with 15 and Krogman with 12.
The skinny: Going into the last two games of the regular season, there isn’t room for error for IPFW if it hopes to qualify for the Summit League tournament. IPFW is tied for last place with South Dakota and UMKC, all with 4-12 league records. South Dakota is not eligible to play in the tournament, which makes this a two-horse race between IPFW and UMKC for the final berth. It so happens that IPFW’s final game will be played Saturday at UMKC.
