SENIOR TRIO LEADS ONU TO VICTORY OVER HOLY CROSS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A trio of Tiger seniors combined for 65 points as the Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team cruised to an 87-73 win over Holy Cross Wednesday evening in McKenna Arena.

Tyler Schmidt led all scorers with 26 points, Griffin Andricks set a new career-best with 22, and Sam Emich knocked down three triples to finish with 17 points. The trio did most of their damage in the second half, with all three reaching double figures over the final 20 minutes en route to ONU's second straight win.

Emich knocked down a three to open the game's scoring and the Tigers wasted no time in building a double-digit lead, going up 19-9 on a pair of Caleb Swearingen free throws eight minutes in. Holy Cross (8-17, 3-14 CCAC) battled back with a 10-0 run to tie the game, but an Emich jumper reclaimed the ONU lead.

Andricks sank a jumper to close the first half with an 11-point lead, but the Saints again erased the double-digit ONU lead just minutes into the second period at 38-38. However, Emich and Andricks responded with back-to-back threes to ignite a 15-3 run. And when Schmidt capped the spurt with an and-one jumpshot, the Tigers were up 53-41. ONU led comfortably from there.

The three seniors helped ONU shoot at a better than 56-percent clip from the floor as a team. The trio also hauled in 20 rebounds collectively, led by Andricks with eight. Schmidt and Emich brought down six apiece.

Swearingen finished with 12 points to give the Tigers four players in double figures. Pflederer chipped in six. Daniel Murphy and Gabe Renchen both came off the bench to score two points each.

The win improves the Tigers to 18-7 overall and 12-5 in CCAC play. The Purple & Yellow Gold will play their final home game of the regular season against Trinity Christian Saturday in McHie Arena.

--ONU—

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