Horizon League Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

6. Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastodons

2020-21 season record: 8-15 (6-14 in Horizon)

Key losses – Demetric Horton (9.1 ppg), Dylan Carl (5.6 ppg)

The Mastodons went from the Summit League to the Horizon League last season and like Robert Morris, went through some big growing pains, including an eight-game losing streak midway through.

There’s a running joke that there isn’t much defense being played in the Summit League and this program proved it after switching leagues, ranking in the bottom-20 nationally in defensive efficiency. Giving up over 100 points at home in regulation to Robert Morris is as dreadful as it can get.

However, Purdue-Fort Wayne does have some real offensive talent on its roster and over 80% of it returns. Only forward Dyland Carl is gone from the starting lineup, as well as 6th Man Demetric Horton. The top three scorers are back, led by Jarred Godfrey (16.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and 3.8 apg), who led the Mastodons in all three main categories.

Joining the star guard back is playmaker Jalon Pipkins (14.3 ppg and 2.9 apg), and forward Bobby Planutis (10.3 ppg). Deonte Billups (8.5 ppg) is back in the lineup as well, along with a trio of rotation players (Cameron Benford, Ra Kpedi, and Jarvin Walker). There’s a lot of potential back and the addition of transfer Damian Chong-Qui, a 5’8 guard from Mount St. Mary’s that averaged 15.1 ppg and 5.3 apg last season will only make the offense more difficult to stop.

But it’s ultimately not going to matter too much if the defense and lack of rebounding from the frontcourt remain problematic. Due to the losses of the projected bottom teams and the Mastodons bringing so much back, they have a proven advantage on paper and likely can outscore most of the teams in the bottom half. Yet they will have problems stopping those above them, which is why the very middle is a good spot for them.