Titans MBB Hold Off Viterbo
SOUTH BEND — IU South Bend built a commanding first-half lead and withstood a late push from Viterbo on Wednesday afternoon, earning a 74-72 victory inside the Student Activities Center to extend its winning streak to nine games.
The Titans (11-4, 6-1 CCAC) were in control early, scoring efficiently and defending well to open the contest. IU South Bend connected on seven of its first eight field-goal attempts and steadily built separation behind balanced scoring. The lead grew to as many as 16 points late in the first half, and the Titans carried a 39-26 advantage into halftime.
After the break, IUSB continued to hold a big lead, leading by 18 with 14 minutes left. The visitors began to chip away in the second half, though, shooting nearly 55 percent in the final 20 minutes while cutting into the deficit.
The V-Hawks pulled within single digits with eight minutes to go and did not stop. Back-to-back three-pointers as the clock ticked under one minute left, brought Viterbo within a possession at 72-70.
The Titans responded when it mattered most. Kyle Olagbegi once again came up big for the Titans in clutch time, scoring with 16 seconds remaining to give IU South Bend breathing room. A final bucket for the V-Hawks was not enough, as IUSB survived with a 74-72 victory.
Four Titans reached double figures in the scoring column, as the offensive attack came from everywhere. Collin Schmidt led the way with 13 points, while grabbing six boards. Mark White tacked on 12 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting night, adding seven rebounds. Kyle Millender contributed 12 points and four assists, including the helper to Olagbegi in the final seconds.
IU South Bend shot 62.3 percent from the field, won the rebounding battle 35-27, and outscored Viterbo 36-22 in bench points.
The Titans are now set to face St. Francis on Saturday at 3:00 pm in the Student Activities Center