THE BASICS
Score: #9 Madonna University 67, Indiana Tech 82
Records: Madonna (7-5, 2-3 WHAC), Indiana Tech (4-7, 3-2 WHAC)
Location: Schaefer Center - Fort Wayne, Ind.
Turning Point: 29-11 Warriors run from 5:38 in the first half to 16:24 in the second
 

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FORT WAYNE, Ind. - On a night when Dwight Burton became the second Crusader to tally 1,000 career points this season, break downs at both ends of the floor over 9:14 of game time from the first to the second half led to a disappointing 82-67 loss for the ninth-ranked Madonna University men's basketball team at the hands of Indiana Tech at the Schaefer Center on Wednesday night. 

Burton, who scored his 1,000th point with 4:05 left in the game, led MU with 24 points while Henry Speight added 16 and a team-best six rebounds. Tahj Chatman had a career night off the bench with seven points and two steals.

For the third time in the past four contests and four of the Crusaders' five losses this season, MU allowed their opponent to shoot better than 50 percent as Indiana Tech converted 30-of-55 (54.5%) shots from the field and 11-of-20 (55%) from the 3-point arc. The Blue and Gold shot 41 percent (23-of-56) from the floor and 38.5 percent (10-of-26) from long range while the home team won on the glass 33-28, won in the paint 36-16 and outscored MU off turnovers 22-16.

"We are struggling to find our way right now," said Head Coach Noel Emenhiser. "We are getting our opponents' best effort and lack belief and confidence in who we are and what we need to do, together, to be successful. We are struggling to defend with consistency and are allowing teams great comfort to do what they want offensively."

The first 13:06 of the game were evenly contested as the teams traded leads nine times and tied four others, the last tie coming on a Caleb Drumm free throw to tie the score at 22. That's when the game-changing run for the Warriors began with 6:54 left in the half. Indiana Tech outscored Madonna 17-6 the rest of the opening 20 minutes to take a nine-point, 39-30, lead at the break.

The run continued in the second half as the Warriors scored 12 of the first 15 points to push the lead to 18, 51-33. Indiana Tech pushed the margin to 27, 68-41, with 9:26 to play and that's when Madonna's offense began to come to life. A Burton free throw, five points from Speight and a jumper from KJ Sayer cut the margin to 19. The Blue and Gold outscored the Warriors 26-17 over the final 9:23 of the game, but it was too little too late to overcome the early hole.

MILESTONE WATCH

• Burton joined the 1,000 point club with a free throw at the 4:05 mark in the second half on the third of three free throws to make the score 73-58

UP NEXT

• The Blue and Gold look to end their three-game skid when they return to action on Saturday, Dec. 7 when the University of Northwestern Ohio visits the MU Activities Center with tip-off set for 3 p.m.
• Live coverage links will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com. 

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