KOKOMO, Ind. – The IU Kokomo men's basketball team returned to the win column Wednesday night, riding a strong home performance to an 84–70 victory over Indiana University Northwest.

FAST FACTS

• LOCATION: Student Activities & Event Center | Kokomo, IN
• UPDATED RECORDS: IU Northwest - 5-4,  IU Kokomo - 7-3
• NAIA TOP-25 RANKINGS: IU Northwest - N/A, IU Kokomo - N/A

THE RUNDOWN 

• One standout stat from Wednesday night's win over the RedHawks was IU Kokomo's four turnovers, tying for the second-lowest single-game total in program history. The only lower mark came during the 2012–13 season, the program's first in the NAIA, when the Cougars turned it over just three times in an 81–36 victory over Illinois Tech.
• The opening minutes saw both teams trading baskets, staying tightly contested through the first eight minutes. IU Northwest then seized momentum with a strong run, building an 11-point advantage late in the half.
• The Cougars responded with resilience, chipping away at the deficit and closing the gap to just one point at the break, trailing 36-35.
• IU Kokomo carried that momentum into the second half, taking control and holding a steady five-point lead with around ten minutes remaining. From there, the Cougars put together a dominant closing stretch, pulling away and securing the 14-point victory, 84-70.

LEADING THE CHARGE

• Ty Wills led the Cougars with 23 points on an impressive 61% shooting, while also grabbing four rebounds.
• Senior Evan Kretz added 20 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc and finishing a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
• Freshman Patric Matson recorded a strong double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
• Junior Joseph Annan Jr. also posted a double-double, tallying 14 points and pulling down a team-high 15 rebounds.
• Freshman Jake McGraw would also add nine points for the Cougars. 

INSIDE THE HUDDLE

• "Great effort by our team tonight. We had to adjust some lineups that we haven't played with all season and I thought our guys worked through that with poise. We kept our turnovers to a season low and won the boards, which are two key areas we have been focusing on improving." - Head Coach Eric Echelbarger
• "We didn't overthink anything today, we just played for each other, competed on every possession, and trusted the work. That's why we walked out with the win." - Senior Ty Wills

THE ROAD AHEAD

• Next Game: 12/20 vs IU Northwest - 4:00 PM ET 

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.