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Photo Credit: Image Group
Photo Credit: Image Group
Posted: Mar 10, 2022

NO. 11 TIGERS TO HOST LOURDES ON FRIDAY EVENING IN MCHIE ARENA FOR THE OPENING ROUND OF THE 2022 NAIA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

BOURBONNAIS, Ill.  – Olivet Nazarene University on Friday and Saturday, hosts the Opening Round of the 2022 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men's Basketball Championship at McHie Arena. This event is sponsored by Visit Kankakee County.  

 

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, March 11

5:00 p.m. #15 Lourdes (Ohio) vs. #2 Olivet Nazarene (Ill)

7:00 p.m.: #10 Cumberlands (Ky.) vs. #7 Grace (Ind.)

Saturday, March 12

5:00 p.m.: Winner of game one vs. Winner of game two

 

THE MATCHUP

The Tigers and the Gray Wolves will matchup in their first ever meeting on Friday evening.  The Tigers come into the game with a 30-3 overall record and a 21-1 conference mark.  30 wins is tied for the most wins in a single season and 21 CCAC wins is the most in program history.  Lourdes comes into the game with an overall record of 24-7 and 13-7 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). 

 

The Tigers are led by CCAC Player of the Year and first-team All-CCAC selection Alex Gross. Gross led the team averaging a double-double with 23.5 points and 14.5 rebounds.  He leads the NAIA in numerous categories which includes rebounds a game (14.5), total rebounds (463), total blocks (108), total points (751), and is second in blocks a game (3.4), and total field goals (298). Gross is also fifth in assists with 178.  

 

ONU is also led by their second first-team All-CCAC selection Tyler Schmidt.  The Tiger guard is second on the team with 19.9 points a game, 656 total points, and 31 threes.  Schmidt tallied a pair of 30-point games, 16 20-point efforts, and has recorded three double-doubles this season. The Tigers are also led at the point guard position by Landon Pflederer.  The Tremont, Ill. native, averaged 10.8 points game and totaled 194 assists.  His 194 total assists lead the NAIA.  Pflederer marked a season-high on December 18th against Florida College when he dropped in 26 points.  Pflederer has marked a pair of 20-point efforts and tallied a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists against Trinity International on December 1st.

 

The Gray Wolves are led by the Oakland University transfer Joey Holifield.  Holifield leads the team with 15.7 points a game and 52 steals.  The Gray Wolves are also led by their big man Nick Welch.  Welch averaged 9.2 rebounds a game to go along with 14.8 points a game, which is second on the team. Leading the team in three pointers is Little Anderson.  Anderson has knocked down 56 three-balls this season.    As a team, the Gray Wolves only give up 66.2 points a game.

 

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION

 

TICKET INFORMATION

For those of you attending the Opening Round Matchups, tickets will be only sold at the door using cash or credit card.  The ticket prices are $8 for adults and $5 for students.  For more information please visit https://onutigers.com/general/2022_Men-s_Basketball_Opening_Round for more information.   

 

--ONU—

 

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