The Purdue University Calumet men’s basketball team wasn’t able to overcome a strong home performance by a stout Olivet Nazarene University team in Saturday’s 88-65 league loss.
The Peregrines (10-12, 5-7 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) dropped their second game this season to the Tigers (17-7, 11-2), who are receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
Senior Noah Allen (Flora, Ind./Carroll) led the Peregrines with 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting and added two steals and an assist in the effort. Classmate Kaspars Brencans (Riga, Latvia/Florida Air Academy) added 13 points, and Aaron Davis (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) and Duron Ivery (South Bend, Ind./Washington) each had 11 points to round out Purdue Calumet players in double-figure scoring.
The Peregrines took an early lead on a Davis layup to start what was a back and forth game through the first 10 minutes, as ONU led by just two, 18-16, with 13:14 to go before the half. That’s when the Tigers made their run, outscoring the Peregrines 18-6 over the next nine minutes to lead by 14, 36-22, at the 4:11 mark.
Purdue Calumet didn’t fold, making a 10-2 run behind two triples by Ivery and Allen to cut that lead to six before the Tigers closed the half up 10, 45-35.
The second half was all Olivet Nazarene, as the Tigers led by as many as 26 (78-52) while never giving up the lead.
The Peregrines shot 48.1 percent (25 of 52) for the game compared to 57.7 percent (30 of 52) for the Tigers, who capitalized off seven makes from behind the arc compared to just three for Purdue Calumet.
Dayvohn Braxton (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) added nine points and sophomore Danny Pachen (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) had five points and seven rebounds for the Peregrines.
Aaron Larson led Olivet Nazarene with 26 points and Austin Davis and Tyler Crater each had 15 points for the Tigers.
Purdue Calumet returns to action Wednesday, Feb. 4, with a 7 p.m. home contest against Saint Xavier University at the Fitness and Recreation Center.