WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg men's basketball is set to hit the road this week to continue the back half of its American Rivers Conference schedule. On Wednesday, Feb. 2 the Knights travel to Decorah, Iowa for a matchup against Luther and then follow that on Saturday, Feb. 5 as they travel to Lincoln, Neb. to face Nebraska Wesleyan University.
 

Wednesday, Feb. 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Decorah, Iowa – Luther Fieldhouse
Wartburg Knights (15-4, 8-2 A-R-C) vs Luther Norse (6-12, 3-7 A-R-C)

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Saturday, Feb. 5 – 4:00 p.m. – Lincoln, Neb. – Snyder Arena
Wartburg Knights (15-4, 8-2 A-R-C) vs NWU Prairie Wolves (11-8, 5-5 A-R-C)

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Last Time Out
The Orange & Black were in action last on Saturday, Jan. 29 when they defeated Simpson College 81-67 in Levick Arena.
 
The contest got under way with layups from each team, but it was Wartburg who jumped in front early to a 10-3 lead. The Knights continued their hot start with 10 more unanswered points that was capped off by a Drew Olson three-ball to make the score 20-3 with just under 13 minutes to play in the half.
 
After a Simpson made three, the lead was cut down to 10 points with over nine minutes to play. The Knights closed the half on a 21-14 run to take a 44-27 lead into the break. The Knights were led by Jack Molstead in the first half, who was doing a little of everything for the Orange & Black, having recorded 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the first half.
 
The second half got under way slow offensively, but both teams settled in after baskets from both sides. The Knights kept the foot on the gas throughout the first 10 minutes of the second half, ballooning the lead all the way to 28 points after a Marshun Williams put-back with 12:41 to go in the contest.
 
The Knights controlled the rest of the game through defensive stops and dominating points in the paint. Wartburg held the Storm's offense to just 37.5% from the field and doubled Simpson's rebounding total (50-25). The Knights scored 50 of their 81 points in the paint and shot 55.6% as a team from the field.

Team Stats
Wartburg's offense enters the contest averaging 78.5 points per game, which ranks second in the A-R-C. The Knights are leading the conference in team field goal percentage with a mark of 49.6% and rank third in three-point shooting with 34.8%.
 
Wartburg is averaging a conference-high 29.9 defensive rebounds per game and ranks second in combined rebounding behind Nebraska Wesleyan University. The Knights' defense has allowed an opponent's field goal percentage of 40.1% this season, which is currently is No. 1 in the conference. The Knights have had active hands defensively, averaging a conference best 8.37 steals per game.
 
Season Leaders
Through 19 games the Orange & Black's offense is led by its starting backcourt, both Olson and Molstead are averaging 12+ points, 4.5+ assists, and 4.5+ rebounds per game.
 
Olson is leading the team in scoring with an average of 15.3 points per game from 51% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. The senor guard averages 4.7 assists while leading the defense in rebounds (5.7 RPG) and steals (3.6 SPG). Olson's 3.6 steals per game currently ranks first in the conference and fourth among all Division III athletes.
 
Molstead is averaging 5.3 assists per game, which is puts him at the second-best mark in the A-R-C this season. The Charles City, Iowa native is the second leading scorer the Knights with an average of 13.5 points per game from 41.9% shooting from the field and 39.1% from three. Molstead's 4.7 rebounds per game is the third-most for the Orange & Black.
 
Codey Hicks enters the week with the highest field goal percentage of all eligible Division III athletes with a mark of 74.8%. The sophomore forward has started every game this season and averages 11.2 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Knights.
 
Luther
The Norse enter Wednesday's matchup with Wartburg winners of their last outing but have lost three out of their last five. Luther started the week by defeating Simpson College 55-48 on Monday, Jan. 31 to move to 6-12 overall and 3-7 in A-R-C play.
 
Luther's offense ranks last in the conference in points scored per game with an average of 60.2, but its defense only allows 67.8 points per game which is third among A-R-C teams.
The Norse offense is led by Ben Gill, who is averaging a team high 11.3 points per game and 5.1 rebounds per game. The 6' 10" sophomore is shooting an efficient 57% from the field this season, which ranks sixth in the conference.
 
Daniel Webster leads Luther in both assists per game and steals per game with 1.8 per game and .7 per game receptively.
 
Series History
This will be the 141^st meeting between these schools all-time and will be the second meeting this season. The Orange & Black defeated the Norse in 73-57 in Decorah back on Wednesday, Dec. 1 to move the series lead to 98-42. The Knights have won the last eight matchups, with the Norse's last win against Wartburg coming in February of 2017.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan University
NWU is coming off a 64-84 loss to the University of Dubuque but have won three of its last five games. The Prairie Wolves are 11-8 overall and 5-5 in A-R-C play, which puts them at sixth in conference standings entering the week. Nebraska Wesleyan will be in action before Saturday's matchup with Wartburg when they host Central College on Wednesday, Feb. 2.
 
The Prairie Wolves are leading the conference in total rebounds per game as well as offensive rebounds per game with 40.6 per game and 12.8 per game respectively. NWU's offense is averaging 77.6 points per game (fourth in A-R-C) but are allowing an A-R-C worst 75.6 points per game.
 
Peter Lash leads the Prairie Wolve with averages of 17.2 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game, which ranks third in scoring and first in rebounding among the A-R-C. Lash enters the week shooting 50% from the field and 30.6% from three-point range. The freshman forward is the reigning A-R-C player of the week and has won the honor four times this season.
 
Series History
The first meeting between these teams this season went in favor of Wartburg 81-65 inside Levick Arena, but NWU still leads the all-time series 10-5. The Knights' recent win over the Prairie Wolves snapped the previous eight game losing streak.

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