No. 14 LAKERS SHOOT PAST TIGERS IN 85-78 ROAD SETBACK
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Olivet Nazarene (IL) (14-6, 8-4) | 37 | 41 | 78 |
|
Roosevelt (IL) (18-3, 12-1) | 43 | 42 | 85 |
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team ran into a hot-shooting Roosevelt squad Wednesday night. The Tigers allowed the CCAC-leading Lakers to connect on 12 of their first 16 three-point attempts in suffering an 85-78 loss Wednesday evening in the Goodman Center.
Despite their hot-shooting opponent, the Tigers kept pace in the contest. Tyler Schmidt sank a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 33-32 with three minutes to play in the first half. But Roosevelt (18-3, 12-1 CCAC) closed out the half with a pair of 3-pointers in taking a 43-37 lead over ONU at halftime.
Five quick points out of the break put RU up by double figures just seconds into the second half. ONU, however, responded with a big 14-2 to claim the lead. Schmidt and Sam Emich sparked the spurt with back-to-back layups before Caleb Swearingen capped the run with a three to give the Tigers their first lead since the midway point of the opening period.
The two conference favorites traded baskets over the next couple of possessions, and when Emich scored a layup with 11:04 to play, the Tigers only trailed by two points. But this was where the Lakers caught fire from deep to open up a 16-4 run. Roosevelt hit four 3-pointers in the stretch that had the Purple & Yellow Gold trailing 79-65 with six minutes to play.
A Landon Pflederer 3-pointer cut the deficit to five inside the final minute, but it was too little, too late for the Tigers as they dropped the CCAC contest 85-78.
Four Tigers reached double figures in the loss, led by Schmidt who scored 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the floor while contributing six rebounds and assists, each. Emich recorded 15 on an efficiency 7-of-10 shooting performance. Swearingen finished with a dozen while Eli Edwards scored 10.
The Tigers, now 14-6 overall and 8-4 in league play, will look to get back on track when they host St. Francis (Ill.) Saturday afternoon in McHie Arena.
--ONU—
*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu