Box Score JOLIET, Ill. – The Purdue University Northwest men's basketball team led the No. 19 St. Francis (Ill.) for most of the contest, but the host Fighting Saints were able to capture a late lead in Tuesday's 69-66 conference loss on the road.
PNW's Torrance Johnson (Chicago Heights, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy) (Chicago Heights, Ill./Hope Academy) and Tyree Coe (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) had monster games to lead the Pride, as Johnson notched his 10th double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Coe added 22 points in the loss.
Purdue Northwest (6-11, 4-5 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) nearly had its first victory over a ranked opponent this season, as the Pride led by four, 31-27, at halftime, and then by as many as 10, 64-54, with 7:13 to play in the game.
But the Fighting Saints (11-5, 5-2) put together a game-ending run to win it, as USF outscored PNW 15-2 in the final seven minutes, holding the Pride to just two Johnson free throws with 1:13 to play.
Those makes by the junior big man gave the Pride a one-point lead, but Iain Morrison would get a huge offensive board with 18 seconds left and get fouled, going on to make both to give the lead back to USF, 67-66.
PNW turned the ball over on the next possession to give the Saints two more free throws to put the host up three, and St. Francis would successfully defend a PNW 3-point attempt in the corner to come away with the win.
Pride sophomore Chandler Spring (Covington, Ind./Covington) (Covington, Ind./Covington) added seven points and freshman Brandon Cory (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) added six points and three assists in the loss.
PNW shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58) from the field for the game compared to 40.7 percent (24-of-59) for USF, who hit 3-of-18 from downtown compared to 4-of-17 for PNW.
The rebounding battle stood even at 34-all, but USF forced PNW into 15 turnovers while committing just 10.
Morrison led USF with a game-high 27 points and Jake Raspopoivch added 13 in the win.
PNW returns to action Saturday, when the Pride travel to Milwaukee, Wis., for a matchup at CCAC foe Cardinal Stritch.
