SALINA, Kan. – Trace Williams scored a career-high 30 points for the Indiana University Northwest men's basketball team, but Concordia (Neb.)  squeaked out the 83-81 win in the First Round of the NAIA Tournament Friday night.
 
After a pair of Anthony Taylor free throws the RedHawks (21-11) took a one-point lead (23-22) with 8:23 remaining in the opening half.  Concordia, however, would respond with a 26-10 swing to take a 15-point advantage going into the locker room.
 
Early in the second half Taylor drained IUN's first three of the evening, but the Bulldogs quickly went up by 18. The RedHawks would charge back and got their deficit down to 10 after Ladaion Barnes drilled a trifecta with 14:05 left in the game.
 
A few minutes later IUN would make it an eight-point game (65-57) on a Taylor fast break drunk. The dunk jump started a 9-2 that run was punctuated on a Williams three-ball with 8:18 to go.
 
Concordia continued to hold a slim lead after the run, but Dannie Smith put IUN on top for the first time since the first half when he hit a jumper in the paint. Smith then took his turn from beyond the arc to put the RedHawks up 76-74.
 
The Bulldogs were able to retake the lead a bit later, but the RedHawks scored with 11 seconds left, which made it 82-81. IUN then fouled forcing Concordia to the line, but the Bulldogs hit only one giving IUN one last chance to either tie the game or go for the win.
 
The RedHawks put the ball in Williams's hand, but as he went to make his move he was stripped of the ball and Brian Hernandez was just out of reach of the loose ball and the Bulldogs hung on for the win.

 
--#TheRedHawkWay--