FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Indiana Tech men's basketball team fell to crosstown rival University of Saint Francis, 72-67, Wednesday evening in their home opener inside the Schaefer Center.
Rog Stein,
Josh Kline and
Max Perez all had a team-best 14 points, with Stein adding 10 rebounds for his first Tech double-double while Perez notched a career-best point total in his fourth collegiate game off the bench. Kline added seven rebounds while
Cory McKinney had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The battle between the downtown city foes, separated by just over four miles, lived up to the billing of a great game as the two programs find themselves just outside the NAIA Top 25 Poll and separated by just a few points in the receiving votes section of the ratings. A pair of baskets from Stein and a layup from Kline had the Warriors inside game cooking early as they took an 8-3 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Tech built its lead up to 21-11 with 8:22 to go in the first half while a 3:15 scoring drought from the Cougars had the home fans sensing a rout in the first meeting between the two teams since November 10, 2018.
A free throw from David Ejah, who led all scorers with 22 points and collected 11 rebounds and four steals as well, sparked a 14-2 run from the Cougars to put the visitors up 25-23 at the 4:12 mark of the half. A pair of free throws from
Jeremy Luciani tied the game back up at 25 on the ensuing possession, but an old-fashioned three-point play from Ejah started a 13-3 run for USF to end the half leading 38-28.
The Cougar run continued early on in the second half as they grew their lead to 16 points at 46-30 with 16:31 left in the game, but a triple from Perez woke up the Warriors offense and started an 11-2 run for the Orange and Black. The crowd roared back to life at the 13:39 mark as McKinney found a streaking Stein on the break as the junior transfer did as Bill Raferty would say, "Send it in Jerome", with a thunderous dunk that would make Kline Court namesake Dan Kline smile in approval. A bucket from Kline made it a 48-43 game with 12:09 on the clock, but the Cougars found some resolve in their game and answered the run with a dunk from Ejah to keep the Warriors at bay. Saint Francis grew the lead back up to 10 points with 3:04 left in the contest, but six straight points from Tech made it a 68-64 game with 40 seconds to play. A free throw from the USF's Jalan Mull snapped 2:22 scoring drought for the visitors with 34 seconds on the clock and while McKinney made it a one-possession game with a triple to make it 69-66 with 29 seconds to go, it would be as close as the hosts would get as the Cougars came away with the victory.
Tech (2-2) returns to action on Saturday as they host Trinity Christian College in their final tune-up before conference play begins. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. from the Schaefer Center.
