CHICAGO – Jake Ludwig's game-high 23 points and 18 points from Korey Ryan led the Roosevelt men's basketball team to a 70-64 victory over visiting Trinity Christian at the Goodman Center on Saturday.
Zack Harris added a game-best nine rebounds while three other players tallied eight points apiece for the Lakers (7-8, 3-4 CCAC), who held off the pesky Trolls (5-8, 0-6 CCAC) in a game that was close throughout.
The Lakers shot nearly 50 percent in the first half while the Trolls were connecting at just a 37 percent clip, and those shooting marks reversed sides in the second half.
Luckily for the Lakers, Ryan canned big 3s in the early part of the second half while Ludwig, who got off to a hot start with 13 first-half points, provided clutch buckets and free throws late to help Roosevelt keep Trinity Christian at a comfortable distance during the contest's closing moments.
"A very good win, as all league wins are, tonight against a Trinity Christian team that is much better than their records state," Roosevelt head coach Joe Griffin said after the game. "They are going to win some games this year and will be a tough out.
"I love how we kept our turnovers down and shared the ball," Griffin said, pointing out his team's 22 assists on 24 baskets compared to only 10 turnovers. "We really held them defensively in the first half but in the second half they shot 50 percent, and our defense let us down with poor closeouts and not containing the drive. We have to get better at that.
"We hit our free throws and our guards made plays and hit our free throws," Griffin said. "Adam [Alexander] gave us a great boost off the bench and Korey and Jake hit the shots we needed to seal the win."
Griffin and his Lakers now enter a difficult three-game stretch this week, with two nationally-ranked CCAC foes awaiting the Green and White.
"Whoever scheduled us really loaded us up with Robert Morris, Saint Xavier, and ONU this week," Griffin said. "If we can go 3-0 or at least 2-1 this week, we will be in a very, very good spot."
That stretch begins this Tuesday, Jan. 5 against rival Robert Morris Illinois inside the Goodman Center at 7:30 p.m.
