JOLIET, Ill. — IU Northwest men's basketball weathered an early deficit and delivered a dominant second-half surge behind a historic performance from Ladaion Barnes to secure an 81–78 road victory over University of St. Francis (Ill.) on Saturday afternoon at the Pat Sullivan Center.
The RedHawks faced an uphill climb early as St. Francis jumped out to a strong start, building momentum through efficient perimeter shooting and second-chance opportunities. IU Northwest found its rhythm midway through the first half, sparked by Barnes attacking the lane and creating offense for others. Antonio Phillips added an emphatic dunk late in the half, and Barnes followed with a triple just before the break to help trim the deficit to 41–28 at halftime.
IU Northwest came out of the locker room with renewed energy, opening the second half on an offensive tear. Barnes caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down back-to-back threes to ignite a run that quickly erased the deficit. The RedHawks fed off energy overflowing from the bench, with teammates standing, communicating defensively, and fueling momentum as IU Northwest surged ahead. Trey Steinhilber orchestrated the offense, finding Barnes in transition and threading passes to open shooters as the RedHawks took control.
The contest turned into a back-and-forth battle in the final minutes. Barnes continued to take over, scoring from all three levels and converting at the free-throw line, while Matthew Hoarde and Romello Ali provided timely rebounds and defensive stops. With the game tied late, Barnes converted a driving layup with 33 seconds remaining, and Phillips sealed the win at the line after coming up with a clutch steal in the final seconds.
Barnes finished with a career-high and program-record 44 points, setting a new IU Northwest record for most points scored in a single CCAC conference game. Since the RedHawks joined the CCAC in 2019, only three players have scored 40 or more points in a conference contest — Barnes now stands alone at the top.
"I thought LB played with incredible confidence and poise," said head coach Javier Heridia. "But more importantly, the guys trusted each other down the stretch. That was a complete team effort on the road, and that's the kind of growth we want to see."
IU Northwest shot 70.8 percent from the field in the second half, erasing a 13-point halftime deficit and closing the game on a decisive run. They were led by Ladaion Barnes, who poured in a program-record 44 points, shooting efficiently from the field and connecting from long range throughout the night. Caleb Jenkins finished with seven points, while Antonio Phillips added seven points and provided key defensive plays late. Matthew Hoarde and Romello Ali each scored six points and contributed on the glass, while Trey Steinhilber chipped in three points and six assists, helping direct the offense as the RedHawks fed off energy overflowing from the bench during the second-half surge.
The RedHawks continue their road stretch on Tuesday, Jan. 21, traveling to Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
