Johnson, Robertson Huge For Purdue Northwest in 92-78 Loss to No. 5 FSU
HAMMOND, Ind. – Senior Torrance Johnson (Chicago Heights, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy) and freshman Richard Robertson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop) combined for 47 points as the Purdue Northwest men’s basketball team played down to the final minute with No. 5 ranked Ferris State University (Mich.) in a 92-78 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) loss Thursday night at the Fitness & Recreation Center in Hammond, Ind. The Pride trailed by five, 81-76, with 1:48 to play in regulation, but the Bulldogs got a three-point play and seven free throws in the final 1:36 to secure the road victory.
Johnson led all scorers with 24 points to go along with five rebounds, while Robertson added 23 points and five rebounds. Senior Tyree Coe (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) also had a solid performance for PNW with 17 points, including five three-pointers. As a team, the Pride shot well from beyond the arc hitting 44 percent (7-for-16) of their attempts.
Purdue Northwest fell behind early in Thursday’s match-up as the Bulldogs built an 18-10 lead. Robertson went on a tear scoring seven straight points for the Pride to help cut into the deficit and pull PNW to within four, 21-17, with 13 minutes remaining in the first half. A lay-up by Johnson at the 11:20 mark of the first half tied the game at 25-25.
The game stayed close until an 11-4 run to close out the final 4:26 of the half helped give FSU a 46-39 halftime edge. The Bulldogs pushed their lead well into double digits over the opening 14 minutes of the second half and led 76-59 with 6:31 left to play. However, the Pride did not give up and a lay-up by Robertson sparked an impressive 15-3 run over the next four minutes of play to bring the hosts within five, 79-74, with 2:23 remaining. Unfortunately, FSU kept PNW at bay over the next minute by hitting critical free throws in the final minute to pull away.
Purdue Northwest (1-17 overall/1-9 GLIAC) hosts Lake Superior State University in a GLIAC match-up on Saturday, January 20, at the H.D. Kesling Gymnasium in the James B. Dworkin Student Services & Activities Complex in Westville, Ind. The conference game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT start.