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Photo Credit: Eric Decker
Photo Credit: Eric Decker
Posted: Nov 20, 2021

NO. 23 ONU REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN THE CCAC DEFEATING SAINT XAVIER

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Bourbonnais, Ill. – The 23rd ranked Olivet Nazarene University Tigers extended their winning streak to six as they defeated the Cougars from Saint Xavier University Saturday Afternoon in McHie Arena. The Tigers jumped out to an early lead with buckets from Tyler Schmidt and Landon Pflederer. The lead went back and forth throughout the first half. An Alex Gross layup ,assisted by Barik Olden, tied the game at 14 and the Tigers got hot. Cade Chitty, Schmidt, Pflederer, and Gross all contributed during an 11-0 run by the Tigers midway through the first half giving ONU a 25-14 advantage. The Cougars clawed their way back and regained the lead 38-36 with a jumper at the first-half buzzer.

 

Halftime: Saint Xavier 38, No. 23 Olivet Nazarene 36

 

Saint Xavier carried their hot hand into the second half as they opened on an 11-5 run and led 49-41. Alex Gross layup began to shift the momentum back into the Tigers favor. Chitty contributed two big three-point shots on a Tigers run that also included buckets from Schmidt and Pflederer and pulled the Tigers within one, as the Cougars still held the lead 52-51. A three-point shot by Olden and a layup by Gross gave ONU a 57-55 lead. Both ONU and St. Xavier went back and forth down the stretch. A Caleb Swearingen layup at the 5:32 mark gave the Tigers a lead and they never looked back.

 

Closing contributions from Gross and Swearingen, and a dunk from Schmidt carried the Tigers to their sixth straight victory, and their third straight in conference play. 

 

GAME VITALS

Final: No. 23 Olivet Nazarene 84 | Saint Xavier 79

Records: No. 23 Olivet Nazarene – 7-1 (4-0 CCAC) | Saint Xavier – 3-5 (0-3 CCAC)

Location: Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill.  | McHie Arena

 

QUICK HITS

  • Olden earned a career-high 9 assists.
  • Gross led the Tigers with 28 points and 14 rebounds, which marks his seventh double-double in eight contests. 
  • Chitty recorded 15 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
  • Schmidt scored 17 points and recorded 7 boards.
  • Swearingen was the leading scorer off the bench with 8 points.

 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will head to Gary, Indiana for their next game as they face Indiana Northwest in the Savannah Center on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, at 6:30 PM CST.

 

--ONU—

 

*Contact: Reese Decker, ONU Sports Information