Chicago, Ill. - Inside the Keating Sports Center, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks men's basketball team welcomed the Dominican University Stars for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) contest. After trailing by one point at halftime, the Hawks (3-12, 2-6) and Stars (5-9, 3-5) battled through the entirety of the second half. Ultimately, in the final minute of action, the Stars were able to pull away to secure a 67-62 lead over the Hawks. 

First Half (Dominican 31 - Illinois Tech 30)

• The Hawks started off the game with a steal by Nicolas Ortiz followed by a layup. Ortiz then picked up another steal before Garrison Cater recorded a layup off a Caden Gigstad assist. The Stars recorded a three for their first basket of the contest at 17:35. Another three pointer for the Stars put the visitors on top 6-4 with 16:40 on the clock. Desmond Price answered at 15:07 with a three pointer of his own. After the Stars hit another three, DeAndre Vortes made a jumper to tie the game at 9-9 with 13:31 remaining in the half. The two sides would be tied again, this time at 11-11 with 12:30 on the clock before the Stars took a brief lead. The Stars held a lead until Ortiz made two free throws to put the Hawks on top. The Hawks and Stars would go back and forth with another tie coming at 17-17 with 9:32 remaining. At 8:17, the Stars made a 3-pointer to take the lead and held onto for the remainder of the half. At halftime, the two sides headed into the locker rooms with the Stars on top 31-30. 

Second Half (Dominican 36 - Illinois Tech 32)

• Beginning the second half, the Hawks went on top with two layups by Ortiz and a jumper by Price to take a 36-31 lead. The Hawks stayed ahead until 14:58 when the Stars made a layup to tie the game at 38-38. Illinois Tech then went back ahead before Dominican hit a three pointer to take a 41-40 lead with 13:28 remaining. From here, the Stars led the Hawks until 8:36 remained on the clock when Gigstad made a layup to tie the game at 46-46. From here, the two sides battled to get ahead of the other with multiple ties and lead changes taking place. 2:27 would mark the last tie as the scoreboard read 59-59. A free throw by Carter put the Hawks on top with 2:08 remaining. With 1:52 on the clock, the Stars jumped out ahead with a three pointer to take a 62-60 lead. For the remaining minute of action, the Stars were able to defend off the Hawks effort to come back. At the final buzzer, the Hawks fell to the Stars 67-62.   

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Garrison Carter - 20 points, 6-of-11 from the field, 1-of-2 from three, 7-of-8 from the free throw line, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

• Tomas Teklegergis - 15 points, 6-of-10 from the field, 1-of-3 from three, 2-of-2 from the free throw line, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal

Stars Standouts

• Joshua West - 23 points, 8-of-13 from the field, 5-of-9 from three, 2-of-3 from the free throw line, 3 rebounds, 2 assists 

• Daniel Nennig - 14 points, 4-of-10 from the field, 1-of-4 from three, 5-of-5 from the free throw line, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

Inside the Box Score

• The Hawks were 22-of-57 (38.6%) from the field, 3-of-15 (20.0%) from three, and 15-of-18 (83.3%) from the free throw line

• The Stars were 21-of-55 (38.2%) from the field, 10-of-28 (35.7%) from three, and 15-of-21 (71.4%) from the free throw line

• The Hawks had 30 points in the paint while the Stars recorded 20 points in the paint

• 31 of the Hawks points came off the bench 

Up Next

The Hawks are on the road on Saturday, January 13th to take on the Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons in Meqoun, Wis. The NACC contest will tip-off at 4:15 PM.