SCHMIDT FILLS IN 28 TO LEAD No. 15 TIGERS PAST No. 17 HUNTINGTON

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Playing in their third consecutive NAIA Top-25 matchup, the No. 15 Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team rode the hot hand of Tyler Schmidt to roll past No. 17 Huntington 90-82 Saturday afternoon in McHie Arena.

Schmidt, the defending CCAC Player of the Year, continued his stellar start to the season with a game- and season-high 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He nearly recorded a double-double with nine assists while collecting a pair of rebounds and steals apiece. Schmidt was also a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe.

The senior guard filled in 15 of those points in the back-and-forth first half. The opening period featured five tied scores and 13 lead changes as the two NAIA Top-20 teams traded baskets throughout. Daniel Murphy found Eli Edwards for a second-chance layup to put the Tigers up 43-42, but the Foresters (2-3) scored a layup of their own as time expired to put ONU in a one-point deficit at the break.

After the Foresters hit a three-pointer to gain a 47-46 lead early in the second half, Griffin Andricks and Schmidt ignited a game-altering 18-2 run to put ONU in the driver's seat. The duo combined for four consecutive layups to spark the run that put the Tigers up 64-49 with 12 minutes to play.

The ONU lead grew to as many as 17 down the stretch as the Tigers cruised the 90-82 victory. The victory marks the second win against an NAIA Top-25 opponent for the Purple and Yellow Gold this season.

Three other Tigers joined Schmidt in double figures. Sam Emich was an efficient 7-of-9 from the floor in scoring 20. He also led the team in rebounding with his seven boards. Edwards came off the bench to drop in 12 points and Landon Pflederer finished with 10 points.

ONU, now 3-1 overall, will continue their November homestand when they host Grace Christian on Saturday, Nov. 18 in McHie Arena.

--ONU—

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