TIGERS TAKE DOWN PIKEVILLE TO GO UNBEATEN IN OHIO

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – The Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team made the most out of their Ohio trip, taking down the Pikeville Bears 74-64 Saturday to go 2-0 at the Mount Vernon Nazarene Homecoming Classic.

Both teams took turns holding the lead throughout the first half. The Tigers held a 10-4 lead before a four-minute scoring drought for ONU allowed the Bears to piece together an 8-0 run and take the lead.

Barik Olden snapped the drought with a layup and then sparked an 8-0 Tiger run with a three-pointer, followed by a deep ball from Tyler Schmidt and a layup from Landon Pflederer that tied the game at 22-all. Each team would score six more points and took a tie ballgame into the break.

Neither team was able to take control of the game in the second half until Tyler Schmidt, a First-Team All-CCAC selection and NAIA All-America Honorable Mention from a year ago, took over. With five minutes of game clock remaining and the Tigers down a basket, Schmidt scored four-straight baskets to put the Tigers on top 64-59. Jake Brown and Caleb Swearingen dropped in layups to extend the lead to nine.

Griffin Andricks scored a pair of layups while Landon Pflederer, who made a pair of clutch free throws to get the Tigers in the win column the night before, sank his free throws to secure the double-digit victory for ONU.

The Tigers rode the hot hand of Schmidt to take control of the game in the second half. The junior guard from Valparaiso, Ind. filled in 17 of his game-high 26 points in the second half to lead ONU to victory down the stretch.

The win marks the Tigers' second victory in as many days and a perfect 2-0 mark in the Mount Vernon Nazarene Homecoming Classic.

GAME VITALS

Final: Olivet Nazarene 74, Pikeville 64

Records: Olivet Nazarene 3-1 | Pikeville 2-1

Location: Ariel Arena | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, Ohio

QUICK HITS

• Tyler Schmidt scored a game-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting to go with seven assists and six rebounds.
• Caleb Swearingen recorded the second double-double of his career with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Landon Pflederer went 4-for-4 from the free throw line, going a perfect 12-for-12 in the last two games.
• The Tigers outrebounded Pikeville 41-25.
• ONU shot over 50% from the floor on 32-of-60 (53.3%) shooting.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will return to McHie Arena to open conference play. They will take on the Fighting Bees of St. Ambrose on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. CST.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu