MADISON, Wis. — Although Illinois Tech men's basketball suffered many defeats during their 2025-26 season, one loss in particular, a 74-73 home loss to Edgewood on January 17th, after the Scarlet Hawks held a 10-point lead with 7:11 remaining, stands out among the crowd. That's why Saturday's comeback 68-64 win at Edgewood in their season-finale gave the Hawks a little bit of redemption in a lost season. The Scarlet Hawks clawed back from a 31-22 halftime deficit, outpacing the Eagles 46-33 in the second half.
The Scarlet Hawks finish the season at 7-18 overall and 5-13 in NACC play, while Edgewood finishes a 4-20 season overall and 4-14 in conference action.
A trio of Scarlet Hawk seniors led the way, with
Garrison Carter notching a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while
Nicolas Ortiz and
Nick Galati each chipped in 16 points and 11 points, respectively.
How It Happened
The first half between Illinois Tech and Edgewood was a tight contest. Illinois Tech took an early lead with a three-pointer from
Nicolas Ortiz at 18:19, assisted by
Garrison Carter.
Igor Filipovic followed with a layup, pushing the lead to 5-0. Edgewood answered with a flurry of three-pointers, including one from Hunter Hardyman at 15:47 and another from Avery Houden at 12:12, helping them take control. Hardyman capped the half with another three-pointer with three seconds left, giving the Eagles a 31-22 advantage at the break.
The second half saw Illinois Tech rally back for a narrow 68-64 win. Ortiz was pivotal, hitting a clutch three-pointer at 0:18 to break a 63-63 tie. He also sank two critical free throws in the final moments to clinch the victory. Carter played a vital role with a game-tying layup at 59 and assisted on Ortiz's decisive three-pointer. Despite a late attempt by Edgewood's Hardyman to regain momentum, the Scarlet Hawks' defense stood strong in the final seconds.
Scarlet Hawk Standouts
Garrison Carter
----------------------
- 24 points
- 8/18 field goals
- 12 rebounds
- 4 assists
Nicolas Ortiz
----------------------
- 16 points
- 3/5 from beyond the arc
- 6 rebounds
Isaiah Dudley
----------------------
- 12 points
- 6/9 field goals
- 3 blocks
Nick Galati
----------------------
- 11 points
- 4/8 field goals
- 2/2 free throws
Edgewood Top Performers
Hunter Hardyman
----------------------
- 16 points
- 4/7 free throws
- 2 blocks
Avery Houden
----------------------
- 13 points
- 3/6 three-pointers
- 2 assists
Will Gretzinger
----------------------
- 11 points
- 3/6 three-pointers
- 4 rebounds
Zane Willadsen
----------------------
- 4 points
- 2 blocks
- 5 rebounds
Jonah Anderson
----------------------
- 3 points
- 3 steals
- 5 assists
Game Notes:
- Illinois Tech improved to 5-6 all-time against the Eagles.
- Achieved a season-high with 5 blocks in the game.
- Recorded a season-high of 43 rebounds.
-
Nick Galati has scored at least 11 points in three straight games.
-
Garrison Carter has scored at least 24 points in two consecutive games.
Scarlet Hawks Season By The Numbers
