FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Cornerstone had no answer for the versatile top 10 Indiana Wesleyan offense falling 97-83 on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats shot above 60% from the field and above 65% from behind the arc despite a career high 23 points from Eli Steffen and another 24 from Luke Rowlinson. CU falls to 1-1 on the year as they will have a week off before their home opener vs. NCCAA Kuyper College on November 4 at 3 p.m. inside Mol Arena. 
 
Game Flow: Cornerstone – (9) Indiana Wesleyan - 
First Half:

• Top 10 Indiana Wesleyan came out with a vengeance after losing in their season opener to (24) Indiana Tech last night, hitting two threes in the first two minutes to go on top 6-2. 
• Both sides started well behind the arc, as Eli Steffen drained a pair to cut the deficit to one at 9-8 at the 16:49 mark. 
• A third Eli Steffen three-pointer would tie the game at 11. Steffen would score nine of the first 11 Golden Eagle points. 
• With 12:17 to play in the first half, Mason Brooks would add a three to prevent a large Wildcat run. Cornerstone trailed 22-18. 
• IWU would find the big run at the midway point of the first half scoring nine of the next 10 points. Javan Buchanan led the way in the run as they would get out to a 31-19 advantage. 
• Freshman Kayden Bird hit a big three to cut the deficit back to single digits with 8:18 to play in the half. 
• Kayden Bird again hit a big three to keep the game within reach early. CU trailed 37-31 with 6:21 to go in the half. They had 12 made field goals at this point with six of them being from behind the arc. 
• Indiana Wesleyan's Nathan Childress got going to help spur another Wildcat run that increased their edge back to double digits. Childress scored four straight followed by a Marcus Ankney three to help bring the IWU lead to 48-35. 
• IWU would hold an 11-point lead at the half, 50-39. 

 
Second Half:

• Indiana Wesleyan started the second half on a 5-0 run to take their largest lead of the game so far at 16, 55-39. 
• Luke Rowlinson would get a big steal and layup to cut the deficit back to 13 and force a Wildcat timeout with 14:21 to play. 
• After the timeout, Indiana Wesleyan would go on a 12-4 run over the next three minutes of play to garnish their largest lead of the game at 18 and force a rare Cornerstone timeout. The score sat at 70-52 with 11:27 to play. 
• A Caedmon Bontrager dunk would give IWU a 21-point advantage at 73-52. 
• Eli Steffen and Kayden Bird continued to help CU offensively as they slowly cut into the deficit. Cornerstone was able to get it all the way back to 11 with 4:53 to play. 
• Cornerstone was unable to get within 10 as the IWU offense continued to shoot above 60%. CU would fall 97-83 to drop to 1-1 on the year. 

 
By the numbers:
23 – Eli Steffen dropped a career high 23 points in the loss, going 10-18 from the field. 
60% - Indiana Wesleyan could not miss on the day shooting above 60% for the game. 
24 – Luke Rowlinson led the Golden Eagles with 24 points on the day, six short of his career high. 
 
What's next?
Cornerstone will next play their home opener on Saturday, November 4 vs. NCCAA Kuyper College at 3 p.m. 
 
Women's Basketball Contact: Jesse Campbell
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