Purdue Calumet Pulls Off Late Comeback Win at IUSB, 68-59

PUC-Peregrins Darric Obinger netted a career-high 16 points off the bench and the Purdue University Calumet men’s basketball team used a late comeback to defeat Indiana University South Bend on the road Friday, 68-59.

Obinger (Munster, Ind./Calumet Christian) hit his most important shot with 1:09 to go, draining a clutch 3-pointer from the wing to give the Peregrines (4-6, 1-1 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) a six-point lead.

Senior Noah Allen (Flora, Ind./Carroll) and Danny Paschen (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) made free throws down the stretch and Aaron Davis (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) and Paschen grabbed two big defensive boards to help the Peregrines seal the victory in the final seconds.

Obinger finished 6 of 11 from the field, including 4 of 7 from downtown in 26 minutes as a reserve, while Allen recorded 16 points of his own to go along with six steals and three boards. Davis added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and had seven steals and five assists in another all-around effort from the senior guard.

The Peregrines trailed at the half, 31-30, but found themselves down by as many as 14 (49-35) with 14:03 to play after mustering just five points in the first six minutes of the second period. But Purdue Calumet didn’t give up, as it would outscore the Titans (5-6, 1-1) by an 23-9 margin over the next 10 minutes to tie the game at 58-all with 4:17 left.

A Davis offensive board and put back in the lane would give the Peregrines their first lead of the second half with 4:03 to go, and Allen would add his own offensive rebound and put back in the paint to keep the lead at three, 62-59, setting up Obinger’s big shot.

Paschen finished with eight points and 12 boards and junior Ryan Rader (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) added nine points and four rebounds for the Peregrines.

Oosha Mitchell led the Titans with 16 points and T.J. Benner had 13 points in the loss.

Purdue Calumet held a 28-16 advantage in the paint and the Peregrines’ bench outscored the Titans’ 24-14.

The Peregrines return to action Saturday, Dec. 13, with a home matchup against Holy Cross (Ind.) beginning at 3 p.m. at the Fitness and Recreation Center.