INDIANOLA, Iowa – The Wartburg College Knights (14-7 overall, 8-4 A-R-C) had their five game winning streak snapped as they fell 84-81 to the Simpson College Storm (12-7, 6-5) on Thursday evening.
 
Senior guard Cam Kickbush (Reinbeck) led all scorers with 27 points, tying his career-high. Trailing Kickbush in scoring was senior guard Jaran Sabus (Urbandale) with 21 points and sophomore guard Max Smith Drahos (Cedar Rapids) with 17 points. Sabus' seven rebounds led the team, while Smith Drahos' four steals led the way for the Orange and Black.
 
The Knights trailed for the game's first six-plus minutes before taking their first lead (17-16) off of a Kickbush three-pointer with 13:11 to play. The Knights would lose their lead and trail by as much as seven points with 3:59 left to play before trimming the Storm lead down to two points (40-38) going into the half.
 
A strong first seven minutes would help put Simpson up by 14 points with 12:44 left in the second half. Wartburg battled back before cutting the lead back down to single digits (76-67) with 4:16 left in the game. An 11-4 Wartburg run put the Knights within two points (80-78) with 15 seconds left to play, but four free throw shots by Simpson's Kyle Wagner would help seal the deal as the Knights fell 84-81 to the Storm.
 
Simpson led the Knights in field goal percentage (49.2% - 47%), rebounds (38-34), assists (16-7) and blocks (2-0), while the Knights led the Storm in three-point percentage (42.1% - 38.5%), free throw percentage (73.3% - 70.6%) and steals (10-7).
 
The Knights will have the weekend off before returning to the hardwood on Wednesday, Feb. 6, when they travel to face the Luther College Norse (7-11, 1-9). Tipoff is at 8 p.m.