GARY, Ind. – Jake Ludwig led all scorers with 19 points to go with 10 rebounds, and the Roosevelt men's basketball team led by as many as 12 in the second half but could not overcome host Indiana Northwest late in a narrow 64-63 loss to open the 2018-19 season on Tuesday.

Grant Gibson added 13 points while newcomer Bennett Fuzak added eight off the bench for the Lakers (0-1).

Chris Dixon-Williams led the RedHawks (3-0) with 14 points and hit what proved to be the game-winning shot with 44 seconds left in regulation.

Coming off a record-setting season that culminated in the Lakers' first-ever NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship appearance, Roosevelt led from the middle of the first half through the latter stages of the second half until Indiana Northwest used a 16-3 run to claim the lead with five minutes left.

The game stayed close and Gibson hit a pair of free throws to give Roosevelt a one-point lead with two minutes remaining, but a defensive struggle ensued the rest of the way and Dixon-Williams' bucket was the only scoring that took place in the final 120 seconds.

Jake Asquini had a look for a game-winning three-pointer before the horn, but the shot missed the mark.

"We're disappointed we couldn't hold our lead in the second half," Roosevelt head coach Joe Griffin said. "Our defense was very solid but we couldn't finish the possession with a rebound at the end. Their best offense was crashing the glass and it worked. On offense it's amazing we were even in the game with 21 turnovers.

"If we can rebound better and limit our turnovers, we'll be on the right track."

Roosevelt takes on eighth-ranked Marian (Ind.) on Saturday afternoon.