TIGERS STAY PERFECT IN CCAC PLAY BEHIND SCHMIDT’S NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLE

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – A near triple-double from Tyler Schmidt helped the Olivet Nazarene University continue their perfect start to the CCAC campaign, picking up a 97-80 win over Indiana Northwest in McHie Arena Tuesday night.

Schmidt, a junior guard from Valparaiso, Ind., refused to slow down his red-hot start to the season, leading Tuesday night's game in points, rebounds, and assists. Schmidt dropped in 34 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out eight assists, all season-highs for the defending CCAC Player of the Week. He has now scored 20-plus points in five straight and has led the last four games in scoring.

Indiana Northwest (2-6, 2-1 CCAC) got out to a quick start, but the Tigers were able to take control of the first with the deep ball. ONU shot over 50-percent from the three-point line, knocking down eight of their 14 first-half attempts. Landon Pflederer scored seven-straight points to cut the deficit to five points, and that deficit was quickly erased when Schmidt knocked down a three to tie the game.

The floodgates opened up from there for the Purple and Yellow Gold. From the tie game, the Tigers would go on to outscore the Redhawks by 11 to close out the first on a barrage of three-pointers; Pflederer hit three, Caleb Corro added one, and Schmidt went a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the line, including a buzzer-beating bank shot, to give ONU a double-digit lead heading into the break.

Jared Johnson, who scored 28 to lead the Redhawks, hit a three to cut the lead to five early in the second half. But that was the closest Indiana Northwest would get after the Tigers put together a 7-0, capped by a three-point play by senior Barik Olden, to extend the lead back to double-digits.

ONU shot at a better than 54-percent clip from the floor and went 11-for-20 from deep while locking the Redhawks down to 30-percent from the perimeter. The Tigers were also 16-for-20 from the free-throw line.

The win improves the Tigers to 3-0 in the CCAC and 6-1 overall.

GAME VITALS

Final: Olivet Nazarene 97, Indiana Northwest 80

Records: Olivet Nazarene 6-1 (3-0 CCAC) | Indiana Northwest 2-6 (2-1 CCAC)

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

QUICK HITS

• Tyler Schmidt led the game in points (34), rebounds (15), and assists (8).
• Landon Pflederer scored 21 points, along with five assists and zero turnovers.
• Barik Olden posted a 17/6/3 stat line in the win.
• Caleb Corro contributed 13 points off the bench.
• The Tigers shot over 50-percent from the floor (54.7%) and from deep (55.0%)
• ONU outrebounded IU-NW 46-25.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will look to stay perfect in the CCAC with a road matchup against Trinity International Wednesday evening. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. CST following the women's game.

--ONU—

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