Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Photo credit: Jackson Harvey
Photo credit: Jackson Harvey
Posted: Dec 07, 2022

TIGERS FALL TO NO. 14 INDIANA TECH

Photos Box Score

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team knew they had a tough challenge ahead of them when they welcomed the No. 14 Indiana Tech Warriors to McHie Arena Wednesday night for a non-conference tilt. The Tigers rallied late, but couldn't overcome a slow start in a 74-68 home loss.

In a game where ONU trailed from start to finish, the Tigers were going toe-to-toe with the 14th-ranked team in the NAIA in the early going. And when Tyler Schmidt knocked down a three-pointer six minutes into the action, the Tigers only trailed by three.

The Tigers kept it within striking distance up until the 12-minute mark of the first half when the Warriors opened up a 10-2 run to extend their lead to double-digits. Threes from Schmidt and Sam Emich would cut the deficit to 10, but the Warriors would close out the first half on another 10-2 run to take an 18-point lead into the break.

Barik Olden cashed in from deep while Emich and Schmidt dropped in layups to open up the second half on a 7-0 run. But minutes later, the Warriors polished off an 11-2 run to push the lead to 20. The Tigers were able to cut the deficit down to 10 on two separate occasions, but couldn't get over the hump to get back into it down the stretch

ONU outscored the Warriors 32-28 in the second half, but it wasn't enough to overcome the big halftime deficit. The Tigers shot at a 35.5-percent clip from the field.

Schmidt and Olden were the only two Tigers to finish in double-figures, with 24 and 16, respectively. Both players knocked down three triples.

The defeat marks only the second loss of the year for the Tigers.

GAME VITALS

Final: Indiana Tech 78, Olivet Nazarene 64

Records: Indiana Tech 10-1 | Olivet Nazarene 8-2

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

QUICK HITS

  • Tyler Schmidt scored a game-high 24 points.
  • Barik Olden was the only other Tiger to score double-digits with 16.
  • Caleb Swearingen led ONU with eight rebounds.
  • The Tigers were outscored 44-26 in the paint.
  • ONU shot at a 35.5 percent clip from the field.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers return to CCAC play with a game against Governors State on Saturday in McHie Arena. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. CST following the women's game.

 

--ONU—

 

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