WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg men's basketball is set for a home matchup against Buena Vista University on Saturday, Jan. 15. Tip-off has been moved from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 15 – 2:00 p.m. –
Waverly, Iowa –
Levick Arena
Wartburg Knights (13-2, 6-0 A-R-C) vs Buena Vista Beavers (8-8, 5-2 A-R-C)
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In the Polls
The Knights are receiving 11 votes in the current d3hoops.com top-25 poll, which is the eighth most votes being received. Wartburg's two losses this season came against currently ranked teams with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse being No. 11 and Roanoke coming in at No. 15. The Orange & Black are the only team in the A-R-C receiving votes and no teams are currently ranked.
Last Time Out
Neither team made it to 10 points until almost six minutes in, when a
Keagan John three-ball made the score 12-9 with 14:25 left in the half. Wartburg went on an 8-2 run over the next five minutes, making the score 20-11, but the Kohawks would answer with a three-pointer from Jarad Kruse, who had 12 points in the first half. Another Kruse basket would bring the Wartburg lead to just two points with seven minutes left in the half.
Both teams traded baskets to finish the half, but Wartburg was able to pull away slightly behind strong first halves from
Jack Molstead and John, who had 11 and 7 points respectively to put the Knights up 39-34 at the break.
The Kohawks came out of the locker room hot from beyond the arc, making their first two attempts to regain the lead early into the second half. The Orange & Black went on a quick 8-0 run behind a layup from
Marshun Williams and threes from John and
Cade Daugherty to make the score 56-46 with over 12 minutes left.
Coe continued to fight its way back all the way to the finish, bringing the game within seven at the five-minute mark and within six with just under three to play. The Knights were able to string together the stops they needed and hit the big shots needed to hold on to the 76-72 victory.
John led the Knights in scoring during the win with 19 points from 53.8% shooting from the field and 53.1% from downtown. The senior guard set a career-high for made threes in a game with four, including a late step-back three to help seal the win.
Season Leaders
Drew Olson is leading the Knights in scoring, rebounding, and steals so far this season. The senior guard is averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting 53.4% from the field and 43.9% from three. Olson averages 6.1 rebounds per game, which ranks among the top-ten in the conference. The Osage, Iowa is leading the conference in steals per game with 3.6, which also ranks fourth throughout all of Division III.
Molstead leads the Orange & Black in assists and is currently second in the conference in assists per game with a mark of 5.3. The junior is also averaging 13.6 points per game, shooting 43% from the field and 42.2% from three-point range.
Wartburg currently has four players averaging double digit points in Olson, Molstead, John, and
Codey Hicks. Williams is .5 points per game away from being the fifth player averaging 10+ points per game with 9.5 off the bench. Hicks is averaging 11.3 points per game and has an A-R-C leading field goal percentage of 75.2%. John is averaging 11.2 points per game while shooting 51.6% from the field and 42.4% from beyond the arc, which ranks ninth in the conference.
Buena Vista
The Beavers are entering this game having won four of their last five and are on a five-game A-R-C win streak. Buena Vista was in action last on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at home against Central College, where the Beavers won 86-70. The Beavers are currently third in A-R-C standings behind the University of Dubuque (2) and Wartburg (1).
Michael Demers leads the Beavers in scoring this season by averaging 17.4 points per game, which is third highest in the conference. Demers also currently ranks third in three-point percentage with a clip of 46.4% from downtown. The senior guard also leads the team with an average of six rebounds per game.
Jake Thompson is leading BVU, as well as the conference, in assists per game with 5.7 through 16 games played. Thompson also adds 9.5 points scored per game and 5.3 rebounds per game to help lead the Beavers.
Series History
This series dates to the 1947-48 season where Buena Vista won the first two matchups. Wartburg now leads the all-time series 82-64, but the Beavers have won four of the last five matchups, with those four wins being consecutive.
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