River Forest, Ill. — Illinois Tech Men's Basketball clinched a thrilling 79-77 victory over Concordia University Chicago on Wednesday at Geiseman Gymnasium. The Scarlet Hawks were led by a Career high 35 point night from senior
Garrison Carter. Illinois Tech now stands at 5-10 overall and 3-5 in NACC action, while the Cougars share a 5-10 overall mark with a 4-4 record in conference play.
How It Happened
The Scarlet Hawks and Cougars engaged in a first-half shootout, with both teams trading 3-pointers right from the tip-off. Illinois Tech's dynamic duo,
Garrison Carter and
Nicolas Ortiz, sank multiple shots from downtown, keeping the Hawks in the hunt. Concordia responded with key plays from Aaron Brown and Darrian Williams, ensuring a nail-biting half. Jacob Robinson's crucial layup with 31 seconds on the clock leveled the score at 37, setting up a dramatic second half.
In a nail-biting finish, Illinois Tech edged the Cougars with a 42-40 advantage in the second half. Carter started strong, hitting a jumper at 19:53 with an assist from
Obrad Kuzmanovic to spark a scoring spree. He stayed hot, drilling a 3-pointer at 17:15 from a
Bryce Shoto assist, helping maintain a slight lead. The Cougars managed to tie it up at 77 with just 24 seconds left, courtesy of Robinson's clutch 3-pointer. However, Carter's cool performance at the free-throw line with 16 seconds remaining secured the Scarlet Hawks' 79-77 triumph.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Nicolas Ortiz
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- 21 points
- 3/4 from three-point range
- 10 rebounds
Garrison Carter
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- 35 points (career-high)
- 5/7 from beyond the arc
- 4 assists
Obrad Kuzmanovic
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- 11 points
- 6 rebounds
Bryce Shoto
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- 6 points
- 5 assists
- 5 rebounds
Concordia Chicago Top Performers
Honore Yangoua
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- 14 points
- Perfect 8/8 from the line
- 10 rebounds
- 4 steals
Aaron Brown
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- 14 points
- 6/8 shooting
- 7 rebounds
Ryker Johnson
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- 12 points
- 8 rebounds
- 1 block
Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech improved to 3-6 overall against the Cougars in their series history.
- Carter set a new personal high with 35 points.
Up Next
Illinois Tech returns home to face Edgewood University on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 3:15 p.m. at the Keating Sports Center.
