Top 20 showdown favors #15 Olivet Nazarene

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – In a Top 20 showdown, the 15th-ranked Tigers of Olivet Nazarene outlasted the 17th-ranked HU men's basketball team 90-82 Saturday afternoon at McHie Arena.

The opening half was a battle for any sort of advantage with the Foresters eventually taking a 44-43 lead into the locker room. The game featured 15 lead changes and five ties with all but three lead swaps coming in the first 20 minutes.

The second half had a much different feel. After trading buckets to open up the frame, the Tigers ripped off 20 of the game's next 24 points over a seven-minute spell to blow the game wide open at 68-51 with 11 minutes to go.

While the Foresters rallied to cut into the lead, it was a double-digit ballgame until Drew Goodline knocked down a three with 15 ticks remaining to make for the eight-point disparity by the final horn.

Despite committing fewer turnovers, HU managed ten points off of 14 ONU miscues while the Tigers capitalized on Huntington's ten TOs to the tune of 19 points. Also noteworthy was the discrepancy at the line where the hosts went 20-for-23 while Alford's crew connected on ten of their 14 attempts.

Zach Goodline finished with a team-leading 24 points to go along with four steals and three assists. Landen Jordan tossed in 15 and ripped down a game-best eight rebounds. Jackson Paul added 13 points while Gage McGuire posted ten points and five boards. Drew Goodline came off the bench to also collect ten points to round out HU's double digit scoring.

The Foresters didn't have an answer for Tyler Schmidt who erupted for 30 points while handing out nine assists. He also had plenty of support in the scoring department from Sam Emich (18), Eli Edwards (12) and Landon Pflederer (10).

HU (2-3) opens up league play next Saturday at Indiana Wesleyan with tip-off slated for 3:00 p.m.

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 154 NAIA All-America honors and 501 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.