IU-NORTHWEST HANDS NO. 23 ONU ITS FIRST LOSS IN THE CCAC, 94-81

GARY, Ind. – The No. 23 Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team suffered a 94-81 setback at the Savannah Center against the RedHawks of Indiana University-Northwest on Tuesday night. 

The RedHawks marked nine of the first 11 points until Alex Gross and Landon Pflederer made layups making the score, 9-6.  After IUNW made a basket, Tyler Schmidt accounted for the next five points to deadlock the game at 11.  In the middle of the half, the RedHawks kept applying the pressure and led 24-19 with about 10 minutes left.  The Tigers started to grab the momentum as Plfederer and Barik Olden buried three's and the Tigers took their first lead of the game at 25-24.  The RedHawks immediately shifted the momentum their way and went on a 7-0 run until Olden made a pair of free throws making the score, 31-27.

IUNW extended their lead to double-digits as they led by as much as 11 until the final minute of the half.  Then, the Tigers went on an 8-0 run cutting the lead to one at 43-42.  During the run, Plfederer made a pair of three-pointers.  The RedHawks led 46-42 going into the half after IUNW guard Jared Johnson made a three with five seconds to go in the half. 

Halftime: IU-Northwest 46, No. 23 Olivet Nazarene 42

The two teams had the offense going early as Gross tallied the first four points for the Tigers.  At 49-46, IUNW, The RedHawks went on a 12-1 run until Plfederer made a jumper making the score, 61-49.  The RedHawks controlled the tempo in the majority of the second half as they never let the Tigers get back into the game.  After the Tigers cut the lead to eight at 70-62, the RedHawks drained a pair of threes to extend the lead to 14 at 76-62. 

With two minutes left in the game, Olden cut the lead to 11 at 88-77 with a three, but the RedHawks made their free throws down the stretch as the Tigers dropped their first conference game, 94-81. 

GAME VITALS

Final: IU-Northwest: 94, No. 23 Olivet Nazarene 81

Records: IU-Northwest: 5-3 (2-2 CCAC) | No. 23 Olivet Nazarene: 7-2 (4-1 CCAC)

Location: Savannah Center | Indiana University-Northwest | Gary, Ind.

QUICK HITS

• Gross led the Tigers with his eighth double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 boards. 
• Gross added a season-high eight assists. 
• Olden followed Gross with a career-high 19 points on 6-for-11 shooting and 4-for-7 from behind the arc and added seven boards.
• Plfederer and Schmidt rounded out the double-digit scorers with 17 and 15, respectively. 
• The Tigers shot 50% from the field. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The No. 23 Tigers return home to McHie Arena on Wednesday, December 1st as they host the Trojans of Trinity International University at 7:30 p.m.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu