Junior-forward Goes for 28 and 14 in Win Over Leafs

Gary, IN-Prior to a tough non-conference road match up with Goshen, IU Northwest Head Coach Ryan Shelton told his team that they need to take care of business and learn how to win away from home where the RedHawks are 31-7 over the past three years. Shelton’s RedHawks answered the call by holding off Goshen’s full court pressure to capture a 75-61 victory.  The win was the RedHawks fifth straight and first this season away from the cozy confines of the IU Northwest Savannah Center.

Due to a significant advantage in the post, the RedHawks were able to dominate in the paint while getting to the line to open up an 18 point lead with 10 minutes left and help offset 23 IUN turnovers.  “Our post players played really well attacking the basket after breaking their pressure and getting easy baskets or getting to the line,” added Shelton.  The RedHawk bigs led by Sharon Houston’s game-high 28 points and 14 rebounds were a combined 17-25 from the floor compared to just 5-9 field goal shooting from the Goshen posts.  Goshen didn’t have much of an answer for the RedHawk size and athleticism in the post as Houston, Ish-Shah Terry, Jenelle Kapelinski and Ashley Michalski were able to get loose under the hoop for easy buckets.  IUN also had their way getting to the line attempting 39 free throws in the game successfully completing 29 for 72% from the charity stripe.  Late RedHawks turnovers helped Goshen trim the lead to as little as 9, however the Leafs would get no closer as IU Northwest held on for their sixth win of the season.  IUN now has at least a 5 game winning streak in each of the past three seasons.

A.I.I. All-Conference guards Juliette Keller and Nina Wills were only a combined 4-16 from the field for IUN, however they continued to attack the basket and combined for 14 points at the line with each finishing with 12 points on the evening.  “Jet and Nina earned those points at the line as they took a lot of punishing hard fouls, I give them a lot of credit, they don’t back down and aren’t afraid of contact,” said Shelton.  Despite 10 turnovers from Wills, the junior-guard dished out a game-high 9 assists and 4 steals.  Freshmen Marissa Butler and Brianne Wischman were steady with the ball throughout the evening while playing solid perimeter defense for the RedHawks as the tandem accounted for just 1 turnover in a combined 54 minutes of action.  “Jenelle (Kapelinski) had another very solid game off the bench for us tonight (6pts, 5reb 2ast-14min), she has really given us a spark,” added Shelton.  Lindsay Gangloff led Goshen with 22 points on the evening.  The RedHawks will be back in action when they visit Robert Morris University-Chicago on Tuesday Dec. 7, for a 7pm tip.