January 9, 2013
For Immediate Release
Box score
Fort Wayne, Ind. – The 18th ranked Indiana Tech men’s basketball team held a one point lead late over Cornerstone University on Wednesday night, but the Warriors were shutout over the final 3:27 of the game while CU scored six straight points to escape with a 74-69 win.
The loss snapped Tech’s three game winning streak and dropped the Warriors to 14-4 overall and 7-3 in conference play. Cornerstone, who was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 before falling out of the rankings this week, improved their record to 12-6 and 6-4 in the WHAC.
Melvin Brooks (Memphis, TN/Marion Military) scored five quick points to help get the Warriors out to an early 11-2 lead. A few minutes later back-to-back triples from Kody Chandler (Schoolcraft, MI/Goshen) boosted Tech’s advantage to double digits 23-12 midway through the half.
The visiting Golden Eagles worked away at the deficit over the next seven minutes and capped off a 7-0 run with a pair of free throws to tie the score 32-32. The lead changed hands several times over the final three minutes of the half before Jeff Hoskins (Kalamazoo, MI/Indiana Wesleyan) converted an old fashioned three point play to put the Warriors ahead by two.
After Hoskins forced a CU turnover in the closing seconds, Chandler got off a jumper from the corner as the buzzer sounded to give Tech a 42-38 lead at the break.
The second half of action was just as tight seeing 11 lead changes and no team ever leading by more than six.
With just under 3:30 left on the clock, reigning WHAC Player of the Week Antonio Cannon (Indianapolis, IN/Ancilla) knocked down a jumper putting the Warriors in front 69-68. However, Cornerstone would retake the lead on their next possession and never relinquish it.
Trailing by three in the final minute, Tech had the ball with a chance to tie the game but CU forced a turnover to seal the win.
Tech shot 48 percent for the game while Cornerstone hit 50 percent of their shots. The Golden Eagles also held a big advantage on the glass, grabbing 38 rebounds compared to the Warriors’ 23.
Jordan Hickman (Bardstown, KY/Vincennes), Brooks, and Hoskins led the way with 14 points each while Brooks fell just one rebound short of a double-double. Chandler added 10 points off the bench going 2-for-4 from behind the arc.
The Warriors are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 12 in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a Top 25 matchup with the No. 8 Davenport University Panthers. Tip is slated for 5 p.m.
For more information on Indiana Tech athletics please call the Athletic Office at 260-422-5561 ext. 2492 or visit our website at http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics
