The Purdue University Calumet men’s basketball team won its third straight Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest in four days Saturday, as the Peregrines defeated visiting Indiana University South Bend, 73-62, at the Fitness and Recreation Center.
With a rescheduled contest at Purdue North Central played Thursday, Purdue Calumet (13-12, 8-7) defeated Saint Xavier (80-74) Wednesday and the Panthers (59-55) Thursday to finish 3-0 in what was a brutal schedule, but that didn’t seem to faze the Peregrines.
Purdue Calumet’s seniors once again led the way Saturday, as guard Aaron Davis (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, five steals and four rebounds, Noah Allen (Flora, Ind./Carrol) chipped in 17 points and five rebounds and Kaspars Brencans (Riga, Latvia/Florida Air Academy) added 15 points and five boards.
The Peregrines took an early lead to start off the game, thanks to a string of layups by Allen and Brencans that give Purdue Calumet an 8-3 advantage.
The Titans (11-5, 5-10) would take their first lead of the game halfway through the first, when a layup by Jacob Foster gave IUSB an 11-10 lead.
Purdue Calumet went on a run of their own, capped off by a one-handed slam by 6-foot-10 junior Andis Malahovskis (Cesis, Latvia/Cesis City) to jump out to a 24-17 lead with just under six minutes left in the opening period.
The Peregrines would hold on to their lead throughout the remainder of the half, heading in to the break with a 34-25 advantage.
Purdue Calumet would stay on top for the rest of the second, as Davis was able to penetrate the pressuring Titan defense late in the period for a pair of layups to give the Peregrines a 60-53 lead with just under three minutes remaining.
With the shot clock winding down and the Titans desperately needing a stop, Purdue Calumet junior guard Duron Ivery (South Bend, Ind./Washington) connected on an NBA-range 3-point field goal as the shot clock expired to give the Black and Gold an eight point advantage, one the Peregrines would not relinquish.
Purdue Calumet finished the contest 42.9 percent (27-63) from the field compared to 40.9 percent (18-44) for IUSB, making the most out of a 44-18 advantage in the paint. The Peregrines dominated the glass, 43-24, thanks to sophomore big man Danny Paschen (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) who recorded a season-high 17 rebounds, just one shy of his career-high mark.
The Peregrines return to action Wednesday, Feb. 11, as they travel to Notre Dame, Ind. to take on Holy Cross College in a CCAC contest beginning at 7 p.m.