FREE THROWS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ROAD LOSS AT HOLY CROSS | onutigers.com
FREE THROWS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ROAD LOSS AT HOLY CROSS | onutigers.com
FREE THROWS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN ROAD LOSS AT HOLY CROSS
In a game where both squads made the same amount of field goals and three-point shots, the Olivet Nazarene University men's basketball team could not keep up at the free throw line in an 83-72 loss at Holy Cross Saturday afternoon.
Both ONU and Holy Cross (11-10, 7-7 CCAC) made 27 field goals and knocked down 10 three-pointers over the course of the game, but the Saints were able to cash in 19 free-throw attempts compared to just eight free-throw makes for the Tigers.
ONU, who has shot at a better than 75-percent clip from the free-throw line this season, could only convert on eight of their 14 attempts, including a 4-of-10 mark in the first half. On the flip side, the Saints were able to knock down 19-of-22 free throw attempts. Those 11 free throws accounted for the difference on the scoreboard.
In a similar fashion to Wednesday night's game, the Tigers fell into a big hole early, trailing by double-digits just minutes into the action. And when Holy Cross' Mick Sullivan hit back-to-back jump shots, the Tigers trailed by 13 just seven minutes in.
A strong first-half performance from Tyler Schmidt kept the Tigers within striking distance. The Valparaiso, Ind. native chipped in 14 points to account for nearly half of the Tigers' point total over the first 20 minutes.
Coming out of the halftime locker room down double-digits, the Tigers were able to piece together a couple of runs to cut it down to a one- or two-possession game multiple times, but could never get over the hump. Griffin Andricks knocked down back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to four with 13:26 to play, but that was the closest the Tigers would get as Holy Cross responded with a 12-3 run to put the game out of reach.
Schmidt finished with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Andricks knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 14 points off the bench.
ONU, now 15-6 overall and 10-3 in the conference, will look to bounce back against Calumet on Wednesday.
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