In a game that had everything—momentum swings, clutch performances, and overtime heroics—Governors State pulled off a thrilling 104-101 victory over Indiana Northwest on Tuesday night. With the win, the Jaguars (22-7, 16-5 CCAC) advance to the CCAC Tournament semifinals, where they will face Calumet on Thursday.
From the opening tip, both teams came out firing, setting the stage for a high-scoring contest. Indiana Northwest jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Governors State 53-47 in the first half. But the Jaguars responded after halftime, tightening up defensively while making big shots to outscore Indiana Northwest 46-40 in the second frame. With the game knotted up at the end of regulation, an intense overtime period followed, where the Jaguars executed down the stretch to pull away with an 11-8 advantage.
Leading the charge for Governors State was Javon Johnson, who poured in a game-high 28 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including four three-pointers. He was relentless in attacking the basket, earning 14 trips to the free-throw line. Right behind him was Vincent Davis, who delivered a well-rounded performance with 24 points and eight rebounds, showcasing his efficiency with a 9-of-14 shooting night.
Isaiah Tolbert played a crucial role as well, stuffing the stat sheet with 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. His defensive presence was equally impactful, as he grabbed three steals. Down low, Vincent Mayes and Tyrell Isom chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively, helping GovState control the paint.
Governors State shot an impressive 54.0% from the field and was lights out from beyond the arc, hitting 60.0% (9-of-15) of their three-pointers. Free throws were a deciding factor in the game, as the Jaguars went 27-of-38 from the line, compared with Indiana Northwest’s 13-of-19.
With the victory, Governors State moves on to the CCAC Tournament semifinals, where they will face Calumet (IN) on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Rittenmeyer Center in Whiting, Indiana. The Jaguars will look to carry this momentum into their next battle as they continue their pursuit of a conference title.