CHICAGO, Ill. - The Rockford University men's basketball team (9-8, 7-5 NACC) earned an impressive 73-68 road victory on Saturday afternoon against the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks (6-11, 4-8 NACC). The win gives the Regents their first road victory over the Scarlet Hawks since 2014. Rockford played incredibly well and controlled nearly all facets of the game. The Regents shot exactly 50.0% from the floor, 42.9% from three-point range and 85.7% at the free throw line, compared to 46.3%/37.0%/80.0% for the Scarlet Hawks. Rockford also did an excellent job forcing 18 Illinois Tech turnovers and turning them into 25 points. Finally, the Regent bench soundly outplayed the Illinois Tech bench, outscoring them 34-8.

• Rockford never trailed in the opening half and led by as many as 14 points. 
• The Regents opened the game on a 19-5 to take the largest lead of the game for either team. Four different Regents scored during the run. Brandon Emerick led the way with eight points, while going a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. Jamar Rivera added seven points, including knocking down just his second three-pointer of the season. 
• Illinois Tech slowly chipped away at the Rockford lead over the next five minutes until they were able to pull within three at 19-16. 
• Fortunately, Brandon Emerick responded with eight straight points, including burying a pair of triples, to push the Regent lead back to double-figures with 4:03 remaining in the first half. 
• The Scarlet Hawks would not go down without a fight, using a 10-3 run of their own, to make it a four-point game at the 1:26 mark. 
• However, the Regents closed the half on a 7-0 run to take a 37-26 lead into the break. Three different Regents combined to score the seven points, led by three from Nathaniel Shead. 
• The Scarlet Hawks came flying out of the gates in the second half. Illinois Tech used an 11-2 run over the first 4:38 to trim the RU lead to 39-37. 
• Rockford responded with a 10-2 run of its own and extended its lead back to double-digits. Addison Bode led the way with eight points, including back-to-back triples to cap off the Regent run. 
• Unfortunately, the Scarlet Hawks scored 14 of the next 17 points to take their first lead of the game at 53-52.
• The two schools traded buckets over the next few minutes, until Illinois Tech used a 6-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at 66-60, with 3:26 remaining. 
• Fortunately, the Regents had some late-game heroics in them for the second straight Saturday. Rockford scored the next nine points to retake the lead with 21 seconds left. Vincent Eugene gave the Regents a one-point lead off a made jumper, followed by Nathaniel Shead calmly stepping to the line and knocking down a pair of free throws. 
• The Scarlet Hawks answered with a made layup to make it just a one-point game.  
• Rockford's Addison Bode was then fouled and sent to the free throw line with under ten seconds left. Bode promptly knocked down a pair of clutch free throws to extend Rockford's lead back to three points. 
• Illinois Tech's game-tying three in the closing seconds was off the mark, as the Regents went on to win by a final score of 73-68.

• Brandon Emerick led Rockford with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including draining four triples. Emerick also had 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block.
• Nathaniel Shead added 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal off the bench.
• Addison Bode finished with 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.

The RU men's basketball team returns to the court on Wednesday, January 29 against MSOE. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM in the Seaver Center.