Second-half charge lifts Crimson Wave to win over Eagles

Whiting, IN – The Calumet College of St. Joseph men's basketball team scored 48 points in the second half to earn its fourth Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference win of the season after the 80-73 victory over Judson on Saturday afternoon.

CCSJ (9-8, 4-6 CCAC) used a 16-of-29 (55.2 percent) shooting performance in the second half, including seven 3-pointers, to outscore Judson (5-13, 2-8 CCAC) 48-38 and pull away with the win. The victory snapped the Wave's two-game losing streak. 

How it Happened

Both teams were going back and forth to start the game, as neither team was able to gain a lead larger than three in the opening 10 minutes.

Judson would eventually put together a 9-2 run to take its largest lead of the game with 8:39 left in the first half. Jared Hankins scored nine straight to erase the spurt by the Eagles and bring the game back to a one possession difference. While shooting 56 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc in the first half, Judson only led by three points.

To start the second half, CCSJ made three 3-pointers in five minutes to retake the lead for the first time since the 18:04 mark in the first half. 

After a Jeanluc Wilson 3-pointer and a Hrvoje Majcunic pull-up jump shot in transition, Judson was forced to its first timeout of the second half, hoping to stop the Wave's 17-8 momentum building run. 

Shortly following the timeout, CCSJ scored seven unanswered points to take a double-digit lead. 

The Eagles however remained persistent and didn't let the game get out of hand. Judson even regained the lead at 71-70 with 2:31 remaining. 

Wilson, in only his second game of the season, snagged a rebound and went coast to coast to retake the lead for the Wave. The following possession he had the same mentality, only to get fouled and make a pair of free throws.

With a three-point advantage, CCSJ turned up the pressure defensively and forced Judson to commit a costly turnover. Colby Wiggins jumped the passing lane and finished the layup at the other end to seal the win.

The Crimson Wave had four players score at least 10 points in the win and 10 different players saw the court for at least eight minutes. Center J.Caleb Slawinski returned to the lineup after missing games with a hamstring injury. Guard Zion Morgan also returned for the Wave, after missing a game with a knee injury. This was the first game this season that CCSJ had its full roster available. 

Crimson Wave Leaders 

Jeanluc Wilson led the Wave with 18 points and 10 rebounds, along with three assists and three steals. Jared Hankins had 16 points and three rebounds while Scott Gowan had 14 points and three rebounds. Colby Wiggins added 13 points and five steals in the win. 

Up Next 

CCSJ returns to action Wednesday, January 22 as they take on Indiana University Northwest at the Savannah Center in Gary, Indiana. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.