OAKLAND CITY, Ind. - The IU Kokomo men's basketball team returned to the win column Friday afternoon with an 84-59 win over Lawrence Tech (Mich.) in the final game of the Oakland City Classic.

The Cougars close out 2022 with an overall record of 11-4, and are atop the River States Conference standings with a record of 5-0.

IU Kokomo started strong Friday afternoon, scoring the first seven points of the game for a sizeable lead. The Cougars maintained the lead, and a Darian Porch layup extended the lead to 11 at 17-6.

IUK led 23-10 before Lawrence Tech went on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to five. The Cougars responded well however, and extended the lead to double-digits once again thanks to a Julien Hunter layup with 5:16 to go in the first half.

Lawrence Tech got within four points in the final minute of the first half, but Hunter White answered with a triple to give the Cougars a 41-34 halftime lead.

The Cougars exploded out of halftime, scoring the first 23 points of the second-half to extend the lead to 30 at 64-34. IU Kokomo held a 25-point lead for the entirety of the second-half, cruising to an 84-59 win over Lawrence Tech.

Darian Porch led the way Friday with a game-high 15 points while pulling down seven rebounds. Hunter White had 14 points while Xavier Hines added 12 on 5/5 shooting.

Jerron Tatum had a key eight points off the bench in the first half. 11 different Cougars scored in the 25-point win.

The Cougars will next be in action on January 3rd, as they are set to play at University of Rio Grande. Tip-off is set for 7:30 P.M.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.