KOKOMO, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo men's basketball returned to the win column Saturday afternoon at home, snapping their losing streak with an 85-73 victory over Shawnee State. With the win, the Cougars improve to .500 in River States Conference play and 14-8 overall.

IU Kokomo and Shawnee State were even early, as the Cougars led 14-13 nearly seven minutes into the contest. Sharpshooter Evan Kretz then drilled a triple to spark a quick 6-0 spurt from the Cougars, extending the lead to seven.

The Bears scored seven-straight to re-take the lead at 29-26, but the Cougars quickly regrouped and led 40-33 at halftime.

Seventh year head coach Eric Echelbarger's squad quickly extended the lead to double-digits, yet Shawnee State would quickly respond by trimming the deficit to three.

Another scoring run, this time of the 10-0 variety, essentially gave IU Kokomo control of the game for good, as the Cougar lead never dipped below six in the final ten minutes. The Cougars picked up a much needed win over a strong SSU program, taking down the Bears 85-73.

Evan Kretz led the Cougars offensively once again Saturday, pouring in a game-high 25 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists.

Fifth-year senior guard Chris Chin enjoyed one of his strongest games of the season, doing a little bit of everything in the victory. Chin finished with 17 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Noah Harris also recorded 17 points, chipping in nine boards.

Joseph Annan Jr. was the fourth and final Cougar to score in double-figures, totaling 13 points.

The Cougars will enjoy Sunday and Monday off before returning to action Tuesday against IU Southeast. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.