Gary, Ind. -- Before the game, IUN recognized senior Rashad Richardson for all his efforts on the court the past four years, Richardson tried to make this one he would remember for a while as the senior led the way with 41 points but it was not enough as the men's basketball team lost to the No. 4 team in the country, Olivet Nazarene, 96-88, Wednesday.

Both teams traded early leads and ties to start the game. ONU started pulling away when it was 11-11 and started a 9-2 spurt to make it 20-13 with 12:20 left. 

ONU went up as much as 11 (30-19) at the 6:45 mark then Marshaud Watkins (Harvey, Ill.) and Rashad Richardson (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Jeff) scored four points in a row to make it 30-23.

IUN tried to crawl back after Jamisen Smith (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) and Richardson made a eight-point deficit again but raddled off a three towards the end of the half to make it a 11-point lead (46-35) at the break.

Martellian Gibson (Rantoul, Ill.) opened the second half for the RedHawks with a bucket to cut it back to single digits. Later on, IUN was able to finally made a run to make it a one-possession game.

IUN went on a 12-2 tear after Richardson and Gibson made consecutive threes which made it 54-51 ONU with 15:23 to play. Unfortunately, that was the closest the RedHawks were able to get as ONU kept pulling away. 

Jason Peace (Indianapolis, Ind.) did try to keep it close as the junior hit a three-pointer to make it 73-67 with under nine minutes to play. ONU led 96-83 with less than a minute to play.

Richardson went out with a bang for his final home game as the senior hit a three-pointer and a two-point shot to make it 96-88. That score would hold up with the Tigers winning 96-88.

GAME BREAKDOWN
Score: No. 4 Olivet Nazarene – 46-50 (96)  | Indiana University Northwest – 35-53 (88)
Team Records: No. 4 Olivet Nazarene  – 27-2 (19-2 CCAC) | Indiana University Northwest – 16-13 (12-9 CCAC)  

Richardson all scorers with 41 points on 16-26 shooting for the night. Gibson also had double figures for the RedHawks as the junior added 19 points. 

IUN returns to action Saturday, February 22 as the RedHawks travel to Elgin, Illinois to take on the Judson Eagles starting at 3 p.m. CT.