San Juan, P.R. — Illinois Tech Men's Basketball faced a tough challenge on Saturday, falling to Catholic 84-48 at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in their first of two contests in Puerto Rico. Illinois Tech now sits at 4-6 overall and is 2-2 in NACC play. Meanwhile, Catholic boasts an 8-2 overall record and remains undefeated at 4-0 in Landmark action.
How It Happened
The first half saw Catholic establish a dominant 49-19 lead. Brian Herbert was instrumental for the Cardinals, driving with layups and mastering the free throw line. CJ Ruoff chipped in with a balanced attack, mixing layups with 3-pointers, while Googie Seidman drained a three at 5:11, widening the chasm.
Omar Salman tried to ignite Illinois Tech with two late 3-pointers, but the Scarlet Hawks struggled with shooting consistency and turnovers.
In the second half, Catholic held firm, keeping the Scarlet Hawks at bay with a potent offensive display. Peter Gellene kicked off the scoring with a 3-pointer at 19:22, assisted by Ruoff, setting the tone for the Cardinals' 35-point half. Salman answered with a 3-pointer at 19:04, but Catholic's Charley Hepting and Herbert continued to pressure with key baskets.
John Davis III showed determination, sinking a layup and a free throw to chip away at the deficit, but Andrew Nields' 7-point surge, including a decisive 3-pointer at 7:23, cemented Catholic's victory.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Omar Salman
----------------------
- 19 points
- 7/9 field goals made
- 5/6 3-pointers made
John Davis III
----------------------
- 9 points
- 3/4 free throws made
- 4 rebounds
Nicolas Ortiz
----------------------
- 6 points
- 4/4 free throws made
- 3 rebounds
Jason Pilapil
----------------------
- 2 steals
- 2 rebounds
Catholic Top Performers
Brian Herbert
----------------------
- 18 points
- 5/7 free throws made
- 6 rebounds
- 3 assists
CJ Ruoff
----------------------
- 17 points
- 5 assists
- 8 rebounds
Charley Hepting
----------------------
- 13 points
- 5/7 field goals made
- 5 rebounds
Game Notes:
- This matchup marked the first encounter between these two schools.
Up Next
Illinois Tech will hit the court again against Johns Hopkins University on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 9:30 a.m. CT in Puerto Rico.
