GARY, Ind. – Indiana University Northwest stormed out of the gates with a dominant 20-0 run and never looked back, securing a 69-57 victory over Holy Cross College on Wednesday night at the Savannah Center. The win improves the RedHawks to 16-5 overall and 10-3 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play, while the Saints drop to 8-12 and 5-8 in the conference.
The RedHawks' early surge set the tone, as their defense stifled Holy Cross throughout the first half, holding the Saints to just 31% shooting and forcing eight turnovers. Indiana Northwest carried a 31-22 lead into halftime and maintained control throughout the second half.
Demarius Splunge led the way with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including three three-pointers. The senior guard also grabbed nine rebounds, falling just one board shy of a double-double. Trace Williams added 14 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Dannie Smith provided a strong presence in the paint with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Indiana Northwest shot 42.9% from the field and 36% from three-point range while winning the rebounding battle 42-40. The RedHawks' bench contributed 13 points, providing key minutes to maintain the team's lead throughout the second half.
Holy Cross was led by Justin O'Neal, who poured in 22 points on 8-of-20 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Joey Garwood added 13 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. However, the Saints struggled offensively, shooting just 33.9% from the floor and committing 13 turnovers, which led to 25 Indiana Northwest points.
After Indiana Northwest built its largest lead of the night at 20 points early in the second half, Holy Cross fought back with a 10-2 run to trim the deficit to single digits with under five minutes remaining. However, the RedHawks responded with timely baskets and strong free-throw shooting down the stretch to seal the win.
Indiana Northwest will look to continue its strong CCAC play when it travels to face Saint Xavier University on Saturday, February 1. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. CT.
Recap by PJ Katona
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