Box Score KENOSHA, Wis. -- The Purdue University Northwest Men's Basketball team took on a challenging opponent in Wisconsin-Parkside, falling in the closing minutes of the game with a final score of 84-74.

"We got lost on a couple defensive assignments early in the second half and that gave Parkside a cushion we couldn't quite get over when we fought back into it," said Head Coach Boomer Roberts. "We had 15 more shots than them, but the game is about making shots, not taking shots. I thought our bench played well; Gabe Toombs gave us great minutes on both ends, Xavier Allison sparked two runs and it was great to have Anthony Barnard back."

Purdue Northwest held close to the Rangers at the end of the first half, entering halftime down by three at a score of 33-30. The second half, however, permitted the Rangers to open a gap on the visiting Pride. PNW shot 43% from the field and 38% behind the arc compared to the Rangers' 62% and 56%, respectively. 

Jyrus Freels led the Pride with 15 points, shooting 7-13 from the stripe while also pulling down 6 rebounds and a block. Barnard shot 6-14 in field goals with 8 rebounds of his own, while Toombs and Jordan Doss each brought home 9 points against the Rangers. As a team, the Pride out-rebounded the Rangers with 35 compared to Parkside's 33, while also putting up 71 field goal attempts and 20 shots from behind the 3-point arc over the Rangers' 56 and 19.

"The best is yet to come for this group," continued Roberts. "With the way the guys have been working every day in practice, we've got great basketball ahead of us. No doubt about it. We get six of our next seven games at home after the holiday break and we'll be ready to compete."
  
Purdue Northwest will next be in action at home when they host Judson University on New Year's Eve at the Westville campus. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. (CT).