BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — The IU Northwest RedHawks led for much of the afternoon and built a 13-point second-half advantage, but a late surge by Olivet Nazarene Tigers handed IU Northwest a 65-59 setback Saturday at McHie Arena.

IU Northwest (11-17, 9-11 CCAC) controlled the tempo early and took a 29-25 lead into the locker room behind defensive pressure and timely shooting.

The RedHawks struck early when Amarion Johnson finished a powerful transition dunk off a steal to tie the game and ignite the bench. Moments later, Caleb Jenkins drilled a 3-pointer to give IU Northwest the lead, and Matthew Hoarde converted in the paint to keep momentum on the RedHawks' side.

Ladaion Barnes made his presence known defensively, recording four first-half blocks and added a pair of 3-pointers, including one at the 13:53 mark that pushed the RedHawks ahead 13-4. Romello Ali contributed a pair of mid-range jumpers to keep the margin steady as IU Northwest carried a four-point lead into halftime.

The RedHawks extended their advantage early in the second half. Barnes scored on consecutive possessions inside, and Hoarde followed with a layup to make it 33-25. At the 15:20 mark, Jenkins buried a 3-pointer off an Amarion Johnson assist to give IU Northwest its largest lead of the afternoon at 40-27.

Barnes continued his all-around performance with a strong finish through contact and a free throw late, while Hoarde knocked down two free throws in the final minute. Jenkins added a layup at the buzzer, but the Tigers capitalized on a flurry of second-half 3-pointers — shooting 9-for-16 from beyond the arc after halftime — to reclaim control down the stretch.

Hoarde led IU Northwest with 16 points and six rebounds. Barnes added 15 points, eight rebound, five blocks and two steals, while Jenkins finished with 13 points, including three 3-pointers. As a team, the RedHawks shot 42.1 percent from the field, recorded five total blocks — all from Barnes, marking a personal best — and tallied 12 steals defensively.

Olivet Nazarene (19-9, 15-5 CCAC) was paced by Mason Wood's 15 points and Eli Edwards' 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Despite the loss, IU Northwest showed it can compete with one of the conference's top teams heading into postseason play.

"We've proven we can play with anyone in this league," Head Coach Javier Heridia said. "Now it's about putting together a full 40 minutes. If we defend and execute the way we're capable of, we like our chances heading into the conference tournament."

The RedHawks now turn their focus to the CCAC Tournament, which begins next week. Seeding and opponent information will be announced soon.