Elgin, IL – The Judson University men's basketball team closed out a hard-fought contest with a 70–64 victory over Great Lakes Christian on Wednesday evening at the Lindner Fitness Center.

The Eagles led by one point, 33-32 at halftime in a tightly contested first half that featured six ties and frequent lead changes. Judson leaned on balanced scoring and strong work at the free-throw line to gain separation in the second half, outscoring the Crusaders 37–32 after the break. The win is a quality victory in the NCCAA ranks over a quality opponent. 

Dayton Hoover led Judson with 18 points and a strong 11 rebounds, posting a double-double while going a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line in the final seconds to seal the win. EJ Reese added 11 points and a team-leading 12 rebounds off the bench, giving the Eagles a significant presence inside as Judson won the rebounding battle 45–37. With Reese's double-double highlighting the bench contributions, the Eagles really dictated things on the glass throughout the night. 

Luke Stoddard chipped in 10 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting, while Hunter Duncan scored 10 points and dished out four assists. Judson's bench played a key role, outscoring Great Lakes Christian's reserves 26–14.

Judson made the difference at the free-throw line, converting 24-of-34 attempts compared to 12-of-18 by the visitors. The Eagles also capitalized late, holding off multiple Great Lakes Christian rallies in the final five minutes to secure the home victory. This game was a testament of will as the pace was sluggish throughout with lots of contact and a steady battle on both sides of the floor. 

Judson improves to 3–9 on the season and will look to carry the momentum into its next contest. After the holiday break, JU will close out the 2025 calendar year at Bethel on Tuesday December 30th in another matchup of two NCCAA squads.