UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — The Indiana University Northwest RedHawks (11-18, 9-11 CCAC) saw their 2025-26 campaign come to an end Wednesday night, falling 76-67 to host Governors State University in the quarterfinal round of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament inside the GSU ARC.
IU Northwest opened with purpose, trading blows early as senior Ladaion Barnes attacked off the dribble and Amarion Johnson cleaned up second-chance opportunities. The RedHawks grabbed their first lead midway through the opening half when Barnes drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 17-14. Johnson followed with a slicing layup off a Trey Steinhilber assist, and AJ Williams added a corner three and mid-range pull-up to stretch the advantage to 24-19 — the RedHawks' largest lead of the night.
Governors State answered with a decisive run fueled by trips to the free-throw line. The Jaguars closed the half on a surge to take a 41-32 lead into the break. IU Northwest shot an efficient 44.8 percent from the field in the first half and 57.1 percent from beyond the arc but converted just 2-of-9 from the free-throw line — a swing that proved costly.
After being held scoreless in the opening 20 minutes, Antonio Phillips erupted for 18 second-half points, finishing a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 at the line. He powered through contact in the paint and delivered a dunk off an AJ Williams assist as the RedHawks mounted a late charge.
When Governors State extended its lead to 15 with 14:30 remaining, IU Northwest responded. Barnes converted back-to-back layups, including a put-back off an offensive rebound. Romello Ali then buried two consecutive three-pointers off the bench, trimming the deficit to five at 68-63 with just over three minutes left.
The Jaguars steadied themselves at the free-throw line in the final minute, combining to go 4-of-4 to seal the outcome. Barnes' late three-point attempt rimmed out, and a Phillips put-back in the closing seconds accounted for the final margin.
Williams quietly filled the stat sheet with nine points, five assists and seven rebounds, while the RedHawks controlled the glass with a 47-36 rebounding advantage. IU Northwest was led by Phillips, who poured in 18 second-half points to finish with a team-high total, attacking efficiently inside. Barnes added a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his steady all-around production, while Johnson contributed 14 points and provided a physical presence in the paint. Matthew Hoarde and Caleb Jenkins added key rebounds and defensive stops as the RedHawks battled through the final minutes.
With the loss, IU Northwest closes its season in the CCAC quarterfinals, finishing 11-18 overall and 9-11 in conference play. The 2025-26 campaign featured several historic milestones, as Barnes etched his name into the program's single-season record book for mulitple categories. Trey Steinhilber climbed into the top 10 for assists in a season, while Amarion Johnson secured a top-three mark in single-season blocks. The trio's achievements highlight a season that saw multiple RedHawks leave a lasting mark on the program's history.
