The Purdue Northwest Men's Basketball team picked up a gritty road victory on Wednesday night, outlasting Truman State 78-76 in an overtime thriller.

The Basics

• Records: Purdue Northwest (4-4, 1-1 GLIAC), Truman State (3-5, 1-2 GLVC)
• Location: Pershing Arena – Kirksville, Missouri
• Attendance: 166

Inside The Numbers

• PNW shot 29-of-81 (35.8%) from the field, 10-of-28 (35.7%) from three, and 10-of-16 (62.5%) at the line.
• Truman State finished 25-of-57 (43.9%) overall, 4-of-16 (25.0%) from deep, and 22-of-29 (75.9%) at the stripe.
• The Pride posted 46 rebounds, 36 points in the paint, 16 second-chance points, 7 fast-break points, 17 points off turnovers, and 14 bench points.
• Truman State recorded 43 rebounds, 42 points in the paint, 9 second-chance points, 18 fast-break points, and 13 points off turnovers.
• Graduate student Kevin Taylor (Acworth, Ga./Allatoona) led PNW with 19 points, knocking down five threes and grabbing eight rebounds in 45 minutes.
• Senior Kyle Ross (Saint John, Ind./Lake Central) delivered a double-double with 17 points and ten rebounds on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting.
• Senior Andres Arellano Jr. (Aurora, Colo./Gateway) added 12 points and nine rebounds while shooting 2-of-5 from deep.
• Senior Davontae Hall (Chicago, Ill./Hyde Park Academy) totaled 11 points and a team-high six assists.

The Breakdown

• PNW set the tone early with active offensive rebounding and pace, taking a 39-33 halftime lead behind five first-half threes and balanced scoring.
• Truman State battled back in the second half, attacking the paint and converting 15-of-20 free throws to erase the deficit and force a tight finish.
• With both teams trading leads, PNW leaned on Ross's inside presence and Taylor's perimeter shot-making to counter Truman State's transition push.
• In overtime, the Pride's defense delivered key stops, holding the Bulldogs to 2-of-8 from the field.
• Taylor's fifth three of the night and a timely finish from Hall helped PNW gain separation, while the Pride cleaned up the glass late to seal the win.
• Despite shooting struggles in the second half, PNW's 23 offensive rebounds and ability to generate extra possessions proved decisive.
• Eleven ties and eight lead changes highlighted the back-and-forth nature of the matchup, with PNW's poise in the final two minutes of overtime making the difference.

Up Next

• Purdue Northwest hits the road once again for a neutral site matchup against Lincoln University of Missouri on Saturday, December 20. Tip-off is set for 1:00 PM CT at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois.