GARY, Ind. -- The Indiana University Northwest men's basketball team fought back from down 20 with 16:53 left in the game with the help of three players reaching double figures and two obtaining double-doubles as the RedHawks defeated IU Kokomo, 70-68, at the Savannah Center, Thursday. 

TEAM RECORDS 
IU Northwest (9-4) | IU Kokomo (13-3)

HALF BREAKDOWN
1st Half: IU Kokomo 48, IU Northwest 34
2nd Half: IU Northwest 36, IU Kokomo 20
Final Score: IU Northwest 70, IU Kokomo 68

IU Northwest Leaders
Points: Jared Johnson (23), Brian Hernandez (18), Tromon Weston (14)
Rebounds: Jared Johnson (12), Tromon Weston (11)
Assists: Brian Hernandez (4)
Blocks: Jimmie Washington (4)
Steals: Brian Hernandez (2)

GAME RECAP
IU Northwest led 11-3 early after baskets by Tromon Weston and Jared Johnson. Indiana Kokomo scored seven unanswered points to cut it down to one.

Johnson put a halt to the run after making a three-pointer. The Cougars quickly grabbed the lead at 15-14 then Larry Lynch converted a big and-one. 

IUK led 22-17 with just under 10 minutes left then Weston hit back-to-back baskets to cut it back down to one. The Cougars quickly responded with back-to-back layups of their own to make it 28-21.

Brian Hernandez was able to put a stop to the run by making a layup. IU Kokomo went on another run to extend their lead to 41-25 with 2:36 left in the half. 

Hernandez hit a three-pointer as time expired in the first half. IUK led 48-34 going into the break.

The Cougars started the second half with five straight points to make it 53-34. A few minutes later, IUK extended their lead to 55-35 with 16:53 to go in the game then that is when the run was on for IU Northwest.

Hernandez made a pair of layups then Johnson converted a second chance opportunity to make it 55-41. IUK crawled back and expanded it to 62-45 with 10:23 left in the game.

IU Northwest made another run after Marshaud Watkins hit a basket then Damond Crosby hit a three-pointer made it 62-50 Cougars. Johnson and Watkins tied it at 66-all with 2:06 left with back-to-back layups. 

IUK took the lead at 68-66 with 1:43 remaining but that would be the last time the Cougars scored. Weston converted a huge second chance opportunity after a miss by Johnson.

Johnson gave the RedHawks a 70-68 lead with 31 seconds left and that score would hold until the end. IU Northwest defeated IU Kokomo 70-68.

UP NEXT
IU Northwest will be back in action Saturday, December 18 as the RedHawks travel to Trinity International to take on the Trojans starting at 3 p.m. CT.