MARION, Ind. – The No. 13-ranked Indiana Tech men's basketball team fell to No. 4-ranked Indiana Wesleyan, 87-85, on Friday evening inside Luckey Arena in nonconference action.
 
Dylan Phair and Logan Primerano each scored a team-high 23 points, with the latter adding four assists and three steals. Lucas Lehrman had nine points while Max Huber added five points and nine rebounds.
 
The showdown between two of the top teams in the NAIA was a battle right from the start in both teams final game before the new year. After the Wildcats took the first lead of the game on their first possession, the Warriors went on a 7-2 run to take a 7-4 run. Tech continued to build their lead by using an 11-3 spurt to make it a 30-19 game with 4:48 to go in the half. Following an 8-0 run from Indiana Wesleyan, the Orange and Black ended the half on a 9-3 run to take a 41-30 lead into the locker room.
 
The Warriors grew their advantage to 17 points early in the second half, but a 7-2 run from the Wildcats made it a 53-45 game with 15:37 to play in the game. Tech responded with a 9-5 run to extend the lead back into double digits at 64-52 game at the 11:43 mark. The hosts would find their stride in the final 10 minutes of the game though as they outscored the visitors 29-18 during that stretch, with included a 14-4 run over the final four minutes. The Wildcats took the lead, their first since the opening possession, on a three-pointer with 48 seconds to go in the game, while the Warriors missed their final three shots to fall to the defending NAIA National Champions.
 
Tech (10-7) returns to action on Wednesday, January 2 as they host Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) action against Aquinas College. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. from the Schaefer Center.