Box Score GARY, Ind. - Indiana Northwest launched its season with a dominant 100-76 victory over Michigan-Dearborn on Friday afternoon at the RedHawk Classic, marking an impressive start to the year.

Trace Williams led the RedHawks (1-0) with a standout performance, scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting while adding seven assists and five steals. Dannie Smith notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, going 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, as Indiana Northwest built a commanding lead early and never looked back.

Indiana Northwest surged to a 50-27 halftime lead, shooting a blistering 58.1% from the field in the first half and forcing 12 turnovers from Michigan-Dearborn. The RedHawks' lead swelled to as many as 30 points in the second half as they maintained their defensive intensity and strong shooting, finishing the game at 47.1% overall.

Michigan-Dearborn's Jackson Reynolds was a bright spot for the Wolverines (0-1), scoring a game-high 28 points, including an 8-for-9 mark from the free-throw line, while Elvis Machul Jr. added 16 points and six rebounds. The Wolverines improved their shooting to 50% in the second half but were unable to cut significantly into Indiana Northwest's lead.

The RedHawks out-rebounded Michigan-Dearborn 46-41 and earned 21 points off turnovers. Indiana Northwest also received a major boost from its bench, which contributed 28 points, including 11 from Ladaion Barnes, who hit 3-of-6 from three-point range.

The win puts the RedHawks at 1-0 on the season. They will return to action tomorrow against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in the RedHawk Classic finale. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CDT in the Savannah Center.
 
Recap by PJ Katona