NO.11 TIGERS EARN WIRE-TO-WIRE VICTORY IN THE CCAC QUARTERFINALS OVER ST. FRANCIS

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The No. 11 Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team hosted the Fighting Saints of the University of St. Francis for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Tournament Quarterfinal game on Wednesday night.  The Tigers earned the 79-66 win over the Fighting Saints.    

The Tigers saw offensive production right away from the reigning CCAC and NAIA Men's Basketball Player of the Week Alex Gross as he dropped in ONU's first nine points.  The Tigers led 9-2.  Tyler Schmidt then buried a three and that extended the Tiger lead to 12-2.  At 24-13, ONU saw baskets from Gross and Cade Chitty and pushed out in front, 29-15. After a Fighting Saint jumper, the Tigers went on an 8-0 run as Chitty and Barik Olden drained threes. 

The Tigers led the Fighting Saints, 39-21, at the half.  ONU shot an impressive 60% from the field and 55% from behind the arc.  Gross led the Tigers with 11 points and added eight boards and six assists. 

Halftime: No. 11 Olivet Nazarene 39, University of St. Francis 21

The Fighting Saints started the second half as they hit a pair of threes and closed the gap to 43-29.  The Tigers then went on a 12-2 run highlighted by six points by Olden.  The Tigers led 55-31.  St. Francis kept hanging in there as they closed the gap to 13 at 65-52 with eight minutes left in the game. 

St. Francis cut the Tiger lead as little as 12 with three minutes left, but Layups by Landon Pflederer and Schmidt sealed a 79-66 victory in the CCAC Quarterfinal game.

GAME VITALS

Final: No. 11 Olivet Nazarene 79, University of St. Francis 66

Records: No. 11 Olivet Nazarene: 28-3 | University of St. Francis: 14-14

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

QUICK HITS

• Gross led the Tigers notching his third triple-double this season and fourth of his career with 21 points, 15 boards, and 11 assists. 
• Schmidt followed with 19 points, while Chitty and Olden followed with 13 points. 
• Olden grabbed a team second-best seven rebounds. 
• Pflederer added eight assists. 
• The Tigers shot an astonishing 66.7% from the field including going 73% in the second half. 
• ONU marked 48 points-in-the-paint.
• The Tigers never trailed in the game. 
• The Tigers tied a program record with their 16th straight victory.  

WHAT'S NEXT?

The No. 11 Tigers host the Lakers of Roosevelt in the CCAC Tournament Semifinals on Friday, February 25th.  Tipoff inside McHie Arena starts at 7 p.m.  Earlier in the year, the Tigers defeated the Lakers at the Goodman Center 81-65, on Wednesday, January 19th. 

--ONU—

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