CHICAGO, Ill. - In a battle of two CCAC Conference rivals the TIU Men's Basketball team came out on top in their first matchup with St. Xavier, earning an 83-73 win on Tuesday evening.

The opening half saw the Trojans struggle once again shooting the ball from the field, connecting on just over 40% from the field. Brandon Lawani and Jamal Bailey led the way for TIU, each finishing in double figures after 20 minutes.

For the second consecutive game the Trojans used a strong second half to help seal a big conference victory. After continued strong play from Bailey and Lawani, the Trojans shot 57% from the field in the final frame, including Lawani posting his third straight double-double. The Sophomore would finish the game with a season high 28 points and 15 rebounds.

The Trojans will look to continue their winning ways this weekend when they head west to take on a pair of NAIA Division I opponents in the Masters University and Vanguard University in the Vanguard Thanksgiving Classic.