By Jami Sponaugle

Chicago, Ill. - On Saturday inside the Keating Sports Center, the Illinois Tech men's basketball team welcomed the St. Norbert College Green Knights for a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) contest. After a slow start from both sides, the visiting Green Knights found momentum and never looked back. At the final buzzer, the Hawks (9-12, 7-6) fell to the Green Knights (14-7, 11-3) 74-49

First Half (St. Norbert 35 - Illinois Tech 23)

• The first basket of the contest wouldn't come until 16:45 from a Green Knight free throw after both sides started off the game struggling offensively. From there, the Green Knights didn't look back as the Hawks continued to struggle offensively. After a Garrison Carter layup at 15:50 the Green Knights went on a 10-1 run to take a 13-3 lead with 11:44 remaining in the first half. The Hawks were able to cut the visitors lead to 7 with an and-1 from Otis Reale. With 31 seconds remaining until halftime, the Green Knights held a 15-point, 32-20 lead over the Hawks. Caden Gigstad sent the two teams into the locker rooms with a 3-point buzzer beater to make it a 35-23 game in favor of the Green Knights at halftime. 

Second Half (St. Norbert 39 - Illinois Tech 26)

• To begin the second half, the Green Knights went on a 12-3 run to force the Hawks into a timeout at 16:27 remaining in the game. Here, the Green Knights led the Hawks 47-26. Offensively, the Green Knights controlled the game as the Hawks were unable to get into a rhythm. With 9:57 on the clock, the Hawks trailed the Green Knights 57-35. For the remainder of the game, the Green Knights outscored the Hawks 17-14 to hand the Hawks a 74-49 NACC loss. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Carter led the Hawks with 14 points and 9 rebounds. 

• Reale tallied 13 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.

Green Knights Standouts

• Evan Glaser led the Green Knights with 12 points. Glaser finished with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block.

• Garrett Grzesk followed with 11 points. He added 1 rebound and 1 assist.

• Connor Beauchamp ended with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Inside the Box Score

• The Hawks finished 19-of-54 (35.2%) from the field, 5-of-30 (16.7%) from three, and made 6-of-11 (54.5%) of their free throws. The Green Knights went 29-of-57 (50.9%), 8-of-21 (38.1%), and 7-of-19 (36.8%) respectively.

• The Green Knights capitalized off of the Hawks 12 turnovers, picking up 24 points.

• The Hawks were outrebounded 44-29.

Up Next 

The Hawks begin a three game away streak on Tuesday when they travel to River Forest, Ill. to take on the Dominican University Stars in NACC action. Tip-off between the Hawks and Stars is scheduled for 7:00p.m.