GARY, Ind. — IU Northwest picked up its second conference win and fourth victory of the season Saturday afternoon, edging Saint Ambrose 68–65 inside a lively Savannah Center crowd that had plenty to cheer for even before tipoff.

Moments before the game, the RedHawks honored senior forward Caleb Jenkins for surpassing 1,000 career points, a milestone he reached on Nov. 8 during IU Northwest's home matchup against IU Columbus. Jenkins' moment set the tone for an energized building, and the RedHawks carried that momentum straight into one of their strongest opening halves of the year.

IU Northwest (4–2, 2–1 CCAC) blitzed Saint Ambrose early with a 13–2 run fueled by Amarion Johnson's aggressive finishes inside and a steady two-way presence from Ladaion Barnes. The RedHawks shot 51.5 percent in the first half, moved the ball with purpose, and controlled the glass to build a commanding 41–25 halftime lead.

Saint Ambrose (3–4, 1–1) refused to go away quietly, storming back behind a heavy dose of three-point shooting and a dominant interior stretch from Guillermo Narbona, who posted a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Fighting Bees trimmed the deficit to one possession multiple times in the final four minutes, tying the game at 65–65 with 2:35 remaining.

IU Northwest responded with a poised final sequence. Johnson knocked down a free throw to reclaim the lead, and Trey Steinhilber hit two clutch free throws with 1:32 left to make it 68–65. The RedHawks' defense sealed it from there—Barnes swatted away a potential tying layup, Jenkins secured two critical defensive rebounds, and the Bees missed three late attempts from beyond the arc to close the game.

Barnes led IU Northwest with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Johnson added 12 points and Jenkins contributed eight points and seven boards in his milestone recognition game. Hoarde added 11 points and eight rebounds.

IU Northwest returns to the Savannah Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m., hosting Viterbo in another conference matchup.