ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – The Indiana Tech men's basketball team punched its ticket to the NAIA National Championship for the fourth straight season Monday night as they defeated Rochester University 85-68 to win the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Tournament inside Garth Pleasant Arena.
 
Josh Kline led all players with a career-high 27 points on 12-15 shooting to go along with four rebounds. Rog Stein had 21 points, five rebounds and two assists while Max Perez had 12 points and two assists. Grant Smith flirted with a triple-double by recording eight points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, while Cory McKinney had seven points, six rebounds and 11 assists.
 
The two teams, who had played just nine days ago, came out swinging with baskets on the first five possessions of the game and the game knotted up at 6-6 with just under two minutes gone in the game. A jumper from Stein started a 7-3 run from the big man that was followed up by back-to-back buckets from his postmate Kline. Tech slowly began to increase its lead over the regular season champions and by the 9:34 mark of the half the Orange and Black led 28-19. Tech eventually grew the lead up to 12 points late in the half, but the hosts came back with an 11-5 run to cut the deficit to 45-39 at the break.
 
A triple from Perez started the second half on a good note for Tech as they proceeded to go on a 13-2 run over the first six minutes of the period. The lead blossomed to 66-45 with 10:40 left to play that was aided by a 3:43 scoring drought from the home Warriors. The visiting Warriors enjoyed the large cushion for the next few minutes, but Rochester was able to put the pressure back on by the 2:52 mark as the Tech lead shrunk down to 79-68. The Orange and Black scored the last six points of the game however, and held Rochester scoreless from the 2:52 point on to win their fourth conference tournament title.
 
Tech (21-8) now awaits to see their destination in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, where they can go to one of eight sites, with the winners of those sites advancing to Kansas City, Mo. where the final 16 teams will look to finish out the tournament. The NAIA National Championship Selection Show will air on the NAIA's Facebook page on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.