Men's Hoops Drops Decision to IU South Bend, 75-70
The Purdue University Northwest men’s basketball team dropped a 75-70 decision to Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponent IU South Bend Saturday afternoon.
The Pride (11-14, 9-8 CCAC) were led by Torrance Johnson (Chicago Heights, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy) and Mike Williams (Gary, Ind./Lew Wallace) who chipped in with a team-high 14 points.
Duron Ivery (South Bend, Ind./Washington) recorded 12 points on four three-point field goals while Tyree Coe (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) added 11 points to round out the leaders for the Black and Gold.
After both teams were even at 16-16 with 14:29 remaining in the opening half, the Titans (12-14, 6-11 CCAC) when on a 9-2 run to take a 25-18 advantage midway through the period.
IUSB would extend its lead throughout the remainder of the half, taking a 44-34 lead heading in to the break.
The Titans would have a lead with under 10 minutes remaining in the final period, but the Black and Gold kept fighting and went on a run of its own to cut its deficit to one, 58-57.
Both teams would trade baskets for the next few minutes, with the Pride hanging tough and still trailing by one, 67-66 with 2:26 remaining.
IUSB would stop any final comeback efforts from the Black and Gold, while hitting some clutch free throws at the end and come away with the 75-70 win.
IUSB shot 53.1 percent from the field on the day, compared to 39.1 percent from the Black and Gold, but the Pride won the battle of the boards, 36-32.
Purdue Northwest had a stellar performance from the charity stripe, connecting on 11-of-12 free throws compared to 12-of-21 by the Titans.
The Black and Gold return to action Wednesday, Feb. 8, when they host the number one team in the CCAC North Division St. Francis (Ill.) at the Fitness and Recreation Center in Hammond. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT).
Purdue Northwest Tops IUSB; Captures Sixth-Straight 20-Win Season The No. 15 Purdue University Northwest women’s basketball team overcame a scrappy Indiana South Bend squad to pick up a 75-73 conference victory Saturday on the road.
The win was the Pride’s (20-6, 15-2 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) fifth-straight and tied PNW for the most CCAC wins since the 2013-14 season, when then-Purdue Calumet finished 15-2 en route to a regular-season conference championship.
The 20 wins also gives 10-year head coach Tom Megyesi his sixth-straight 20-win season, as PNW has went a combined 132-50 over the past six seasons following Saturday’s victory.
PNW senior Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) led the way for the Pride, scoring 22 points and classmates Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) and Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) added 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Thompson’s performance helped her eclipse the 1,000-point mark for her career, making the point guard the 21st player in PNW women’s basketball program history to join the century club. She needed just eight entering the game, and went into halftime with 12, as the Pride held a slight 37-25 advantage after trailing by as many as 12 in the first quarter.
That lead was just four, 55-51, heading into the fourth quarter, and IUSB (9-17, 5-12) was able to rally to take a short-lived, one-point lead (60-59) on two free throws by Loren Vukovitis at the 6:42 mark. But PNW would answer with several defensive stops and a layup and jumper by Deno to regain a lead the Pride would not relinquish, as PNW connected on 6-of-8 in the final five minutes to seal it.
Purdue Northwest shot 41.5 percent (27-of-65) from the field compared to 45.3 percent (24-of-53) for IUSB, who stayed in the game by making 7-of-16 (43.8 percent) from downtown compared to just two makes for PNW.
But the Pride capitalized on 16 points off 14 IUSB turnovers and outscored the Titans 28-9 in second-chance points, finishing with 19 offensive rebounds.
Junior Ellie Michalski (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) led the way with 10 total rebounds and chipped in seven points and four blocks and freshman Shae Rhonehouse (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) added eight points and four rebounds in the win.
Paige Avery scored 20 points and Brianna Blackwell added 14 to lead IUSB in the loss.
Purdue Northwest returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 8, when the Pride host No. 1 St. Francs (Ill.) starting at 5 p.m. CT at the Fitness & Recreation Center.
Purdue Northwest Opens Spring Season with 8-1 Win Over Concordia The Purdue University Northwest women's tennis team started its spring season on a high note as the Pride defeated Concordia (Mich.) Friday evening.
The Pride (1-1) defeated the Cardinals (1-7), 8-1, at Match Point Tennis Club in Griffith, Ind.
PNW junior Brooke Foltz (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City) picked up the victory at No. 1 singles in straight sets against CU's Alex Beall, 6-1, 6-0. Freshman Stella Evers (Aurich, Germany/Gymnasium Ulricianum Aurich) won in straight sets at No. 2 doubles in her first college match, defeating CU's Mackenzie Devine, 6-1, 6-1.
Freshman Carolina Yepez (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Unidad Educativa Nuevo Mundo) also picked up her first career victory at No. 3 singles against CU's Kayla Verhalle in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0. Sophomore Cynthia Basu-Chavez (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) won at No. 4 singles against CU's Kaylee Tucker, 6-1, 6-3.
Tatiana Spak (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) also won against CU's Sarah Wakefield at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-4.
Rounding out singles for PNW, Breanna Sanchez (Griffith, Ind./Griffith) won at No. 6 singles in a three-set thriller, taking the first set, 7-5, falling the second set 4-0, then won the deciding set, 10-8.
Foltz and Evers won at No. 1 doubles, 8-0, against CU's Kaylee Tucker and Sarah Wakefield.
Yepez and Basu-Chavez later defeated CU's Alex Beall and Kayla Verhalle in No. 2 doubles, 8-1.
PNW returns to action Feb. 19 when the Pride take on Saint Joseph's College at Match Point starting at 3 p.m. (CT)
