JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Despite shooting 49 percent (29-49) from the floor, including 43 percent (6-14) from 3-point range, it took overtime for Ripon's men's basketball team to dispose of Illinois College by a score of 80-73. The Red Hawks scored half of their points (40) in the paint.

Illinois College (4-17, 3-13 MWC) scored the first four points, but it wasn't long before Ripon (14-7, 11-5 MWC) established the lead, using a 17-4 run to go up by nine less than seven minutes into the game. The Red Hawks would take their largest lead of 10 with six and a half minutes left in the half, which was followed by a 13-4 run by the Blueboys to pull within a single point. The two teams went to the locker rooms with Ripon leading 33-30.

Illinois College tied the score in the opening seconds of the second half and went up by as many as five points mid-way through the period. After the lead changed hands a couple times, Ripon took a five-point advantage on a Kyle Loughrin 3-pointer with two and a half minutes left in regulation. The Blueboys then hit a 3-pointer of their own on the ensuing possession and sank a pair of free throws with six seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime.

In the extra period, Cody Hildebrand gave IC the lead in the opening seconds. One minute later, Ty Sabin connected on his third 3-pointer of the day to give Ripon a lead they would never relinquish. Although the Red Hawks shot 55 percent (12-22) from the free throw line in regulation, they made them when they counted, sinking 4-of-5 (80 percent) from the charity stripe in overtime.

Loughrin led the Red Hawks with 28 points and nine rebounds, while Sabin recorded 22 points and four boards. That gives Sabin 604 points this season, making him just the fourth player in program history to score more than 600 in one year, and leaves him 93 points shy of Ripon's single season scoring record. Justin Leistikow added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Hildebrand led Illinois College with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Brandon Fishburn added 11 points. Tim Schappaugh and Mitchell Patterson each scored 10.The Blueboys shot 43 percent (27-63) from the floor, but made just one of their six shots in overtime.

The Red Hawks will now get ready for their 2015 home finale Wednesday against Beloit College at 7:30 p.m. That game will be Senior Night, honoring Loughrin and Hayden Hoerdemann, while also doubling as a Red Out in which all fans in attendance are asked to wear red to the game.
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