ELGIN, IL - Waiting until the last 10 minutes of the game to make a run, Judson University (15-10/7-2) took a 17-point win over Purdue-North Central (2-23/0-8), 85-68, to stay in the hunt for the CCAC Championship. Purdue-NC was just one-point down, 57-56, with 10:51 left in the game when Judson went on a 25-6 run in just over seven minutes for a 20-point lead, 82-62.
Judson had four players in double figures as NAIA All-American Dewayne Robinson (Memphis, TN) led Judson with 24 points and eight rebounds. Tying his career-high with 17 points was Ben Rayhorn (Dakota, IL) as Josh Edwards (Mapleton, IL) had 13 points and Dovydas Retkus (Lithuania) added 10 points. Daniel Green was Purdue-North Central's high scorer with 15 points.
Purdue-North Central hung with Judson the entire game until the final 11 minutes of the game. In the first half, there were six ties. Purdue-North Central had no larger than a one-point lead, twice, but Judson had as large as an eight-point lead. With Purdue-North Central taking a one-point lead, 27-26, with 5:45 remaining, Judson went on a 14-5 run for the eight-point halftime lead, 40-32. Robinson had six of the 14 points while Edwards recorded five.
Taking an 11-point lead, 46-35, just under two minutes into the second half, it looked as though Judson would start to run away with the game. Purdue-North Central responded with a 14-4 run to bring Judson's lead to one, 50-49, with 14:39 remaining. Edwards hit one of his three three-pointers on the night with Judson's next possession to put the lead back at four. By the 10:51 mark, Judson's lead was down to one, again, 57-56, when the Eagles started their run to put away the game.
Judson had one of their better shooting nights of the season by making 53% of their shots from the floor and 43% from beyond the arc. They also swooshed home 78% of their free throws. Purdue-North Central also had a good night shooting 40% from the floor, 41% from the three-point land, but only made 62% of their free throws. Each team had 19 turnovers but Judson had 13 steals. Judson out rebounded Purdue-North Central, 37-26.
Judson will now travel to Wisconsin to face Silver Lake College on Saturday February 7th, at 4:00 p.m. looking for their 16th win of the season.
