WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg men's basketball fell to Loras 86-83 after a second half comeback fell short for the Knights. The Knights finish regular season play 16-9 overall and 9-7 in American Rivers Conference Play.
Game Summary
Drew Olson got the scoring started for the Knights with five points in two minutes of gameplay to give Wartburg a 5-4 lead. Both teams traded baskets over the next three minutes and with 15:37 a
Jack Molstead jumper brought the score to 12-9 Loras out in front.
Marshun Williams provided great minutes in the first half, as he scored seven points and recorded a block to bring the Knights back within three. A
Cade Daugherty three-ball tied the game at 21 apiece with just under nine to play in the first half. After the game was tied Loras went on an 18-4 run highlighted by great three-point shooting. Wartburg was able to claw back a little before halftime, but Loras took a 48-31 lead into the break.
Loras was on fire from beyond the arc in the first half, shooting a blistering 9/12 from deep. The Duhawks had a 65.5% to 35.5% advantage shooting from the field in the first and the Knights were just 28.6% from three-point range.
The Knights came out of the locker room with energy and started to cut into the Duhawk lead when a
Codey Hicks layup brought the score to 50-40 with 16:56 to go. Two more baskets from Hicks brought the Orange & Black within six, but the Duhawks answered and went back up 10 with just over 14 minutes left in the game.
The Duhakws were able to hold on to a double-digit lead over the next few minutes, but two more three-pointers from Daugherty made the score 65-61. A technical foul free throw and a
Davis Roquet jumper made it a one-point game with 6:54 to play. Roquet went on to score 10 of the Knights' next 12 points and his fourth made three of the contest tied the game at 76 with just under three minutes left.
Both team's traded layups to make it 78-78, but Loras got a stop and pulled ahead with back-to-back layups. The Knights brought it within two points with 40 seconds to play, but Ali Sabet closed the game with another layup to give the Duhawks the win.
Game Leaders
Roquet was the high-point man for the Orange & Black in this contest with 20 points, 17 of them coming in the second half. The senior shot a very efficient 6/8 from the field and 4/6 from beyond the arc. Roquet also tied with
Donovon Smith for a team-high seven rebounds.
Olson recorded a team-high seven assists and 12 points in the contest to help lead the offense. The Osage, Iowa native grabbed two steals and two rebounds defensively for the Knights. Olson finished 75% from the free throw line.
Daugherty finished without missing a shot today, going three of three from deep and two for two from the free throw line. The sharpshooter finished with 11 points for the Knights off the bench.
Next Time Out
The Orange & Black are the four seed in the A-R-C Tournament and will host a familiar opponent in Loras on Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in Levick Arena.
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