LIVONIA, Mich. – The No. 20^th-ranked Indiana Tech men's basketball team opened Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) play on Wednesday evening with an 87-85 win over Madonna at the Activities Center.
 
Tanner Watkins scored a game-high 23 points for the Orange and Black on 8-13 shooting, including 5-8 from behind the arc, and dished out five assists. Miles Robinson added 19 points, four rebounds and four assists while Scott Schwieterman chipped in 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Stuart Jackson recorded nine points and eight rebounds while Lavonte Davis and CJ Bussey had eight points apiece.
 
The opening five minutes produced back-and-forth action with five lead changes and three ties, with never side leading by more than five points. Jackson would hit back-to-back baskets to give the Warriors a three-point lead with 12:08 to go in the opening half. The Crusaders would grab the lead back just under three minutes later, but Tech would go back on top thanks to a good free throw from Jackson.
 
Both teams would go on two-plus minute scoring droughts from the six-and-a-half-minute mark on till a triple from Watkins would give the visitors a seven-point lead with four minutes to go in the half. Madonna would cut the deficit to four with 10 seconds to go but a runner from Robinson at the buzzer would give the Orange and Black a 48-42 lead at halftime.
 
Both sides would go on runs in the second half, with Tech extending their lead to as many as 10 with 14:50 to go in the game, but the Crusaders would rally back to cut the deficit to one with 8:21 to go.
 
The two teams would dig deep through the remaining quarter of the contest, with the Warriors attempting to pull away with a six-point lead and 4:21 left on the clock, but the Crusaders would not go away lightly, eventually cutting the deficit to one with 1:36 left and trailing by just one possession with 13 seconds to go. Robinson and Watkins would convert both of their attempts at the charity stripe though to put Madonna away and start the WHAC schedule off 1-0.
 
Tech (4-1, 1-0 WHAC) continues its road swing on Saturday when they head to Adrian, Michigan for a battle with Siena Heights. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. from the SHU Fieldhouse.