FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech men's basketball team kicks off its regular season on Friday night when they welcome Wilberforce University (Ohio) to the Schaefer Center. The Warriors, under second-year head coach John Peckinpaugh, are looking to improve from a season ago in which they finished 11-19 overall and 8-14 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play.
 
Indiana Tech (0-0)
 
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. vs. Wilberforce University (0-0) – Fort Wayne, Indiana (Schaefer Center)
 
Following the Warriors: Links to live video and stats can be found at www.IndianaTechWarriors.com and http://portal.stretchinternet.com/indianatech/. You can also follow the action on Twitter by following @INTechMBB and @INTechWarriors.
 
Head Coach John Peckinpaugh: Now in his second season at the helm for the Orange and Black, as well as his second stint with the program, head coach John Peckinpaugh went 11-19 in his first season as the head man for the Warriors. Peckinpaugh returned to Indiana Tech after serving as an assistant for the Warriors during the 2012-2013 season, where he served as the recruiting coordinator He was instrumental in recruiting all of the returning Tech players for the 2014-2015 season during this time. In between stints with Tech, the Muncie, Indiana, native served as a graduate assistant for his alma mater, Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne (IPFW) during the 2013-14 year. While with the Mastodons, he was part of a coaching staff that helped the team achieve the most successful season in program history with a 25-11 record and being ranked No. 19 in the NCAA Division I Mid-Major poll. IPFW made it all the way to the Summit League Tournament Championship game, losing to North Dakota State, who would go on to upset fifth-seeded Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Mastodons would make the postseason for the first-time ever as a Division I program that season as well when they hosted Akron in the College Insider.com Tournament, defeating the Zips, 97-91.
 
Scouting the Opposition: Wilberforce – The Bulldogs are coming off 7-22 season and are led by fifth-year head coach Terry Futrell. Patrick Mitchell is the team's top returner, averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds a season ago while shooting 34% from behind the arc. Devonate Berry shot over 56% a year ago to pace the Bulldogs, while Shawn Best, Jr., dished out over two assists a game.
 
Series History: Wilberforce – This will be the fourth time the Warriors and Bulldogs have matched up on the hardwood, with Tech winning the previous three. The most recent meeting came on Nov. 12, 2013, with the Orange and Black winning, 83-81, on the road. Tanner Watkins scored 12 points and had three assists in 29 minutes and went 5-5 from the free-throw line, icing the game with two clutch free throws with three seconds left in the game.
 
Lots of New Faces: While the Warriors return eight players from last year's team, that didn't stop Peckinpaugh from hitting the recruiting trail hard. He added five freshman and four transfers to the mix to go along with an upper-classmen laden team. Jantzen Goodwin, Jaelen Manson and Dominique Walls will all look to make an immediate impact for Tech, while Edmond Early Jr. will redshirt this season.
 
In the Trees: Tech has seven players who stand 6'5" or taller, including five that are 6'7" or taller. Junior center Laurence Mifsud (7'0") and senior forward Milos Milidragovic (6'11") stand the tallest and give the Warriors depth in the paint, while the 6'8" forward Lavonte Davis looks to have a breakout year after injuries hampered his first season with the Orange and Black in which he averaged 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in just 17 games.
 
Tough Sledding: The Warriors will face off with six teams that were ranked in the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll. Topping the list is three teams within the conference, including defending champion and preseason No. 1 Cornerstone. Davenport comes in at No. 3, while Northwestern Ohio sits at No. 17. Crosstown rival Saint Francis is fourth in the inaugural rankings and the two meet up at Hutzell Athletic Center on Nov. 9. The Orange and Black will also square off on the road with No. 10 IU East and No. 14 Grace on Nov. 24 and Dec. 30, respectively.
 
Taking their Talents to the Big Stage: Indiana Tech will face off with Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent Ohio on Nov. 7 for a scrimmage in Athens. The Bobcats are coming off a 10-20 record a season ago and return two starters and nine players in all from the 2014-15 squad, including two transfers. Ohio was picked to finish third in the MAC East Division and junior forward Antonio Campbell was selected to the East Division All-Preseason Team.