KOKOMO, Ind. – Indiana Northwest men's basketball suffered its second loss of the season Wednesday night, falling 83-71 to IU Kokomo in non-conference action at the Cougar Student Activities & Events Center.
The RedHawks (9-2, 4-0 CCAC) entered the game on a roll and were looking to replicate their dominant 106-74 victory over IU Kokomo earlier this season. IU Northwest started strong, building an 11-point lead and taking a 41-31 advantage into halftime. However, the Cougars (7-4) flipped the script in the second half with a commanding 52-30 scoring effort to secure the win.
IU Kokomo was led by standout performances from Joseph Annan Jr. and Max Newman, who each scored 21 points. Annan added 12 rebounds to record a double-double, while Newman shot an efficient 9-of-14 from the field. Evan Kretz provided a spark off the bench, scoring 19 points, including four three-pointers, and went a perfect 5-of-5 at the free-throw line.
Indiana Northwest had four players score in double figures, with Trace Williams pacing the offense with 14 points and seven rebounds. Dannie Smith added 13 points and six boards, while Caleb Jenkins tallied 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Anthony Taylor contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in a team-high 37 minutes.
The RedHawks shot well in the first half, hitting 48.3% of their shots and 55.6% from three-point range. However, their offensive efficiency dropped significantly in the second half, where they shot just 29.6% from the field and 18.2% from deep. Meanwhile, IU Kokomo surged offensively, shooting 60.7% in the second half and hitting 75% of their three-point attempts.
The Cougars' dominance in the paint and on second-chance opportunities proved decisive. IU Kokomo scored 44 points in the paint to IU Northwest's 26 and capitalized on 10 offensive rebounds to score 13 second-chance points. The Cougars' bench also outscored IU Northwest's reserves 27-18.
Despite the setback, IU Northwest remains in strong form as they look to continue their winning ways in conference play. The RedHawks will return to action at home on Saturday, Dec. 21, when they host CCAC opponent Saint Xavier University in the Savannah Center. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.
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Story by PJ Katona
