INDIANOLA, Iowa – Wartburg men's basketball won its fourth straight game on Saturday, Jan. 28 with a 81-74 road win over Simpson College. The Knights are now 6-4 in American Rivers Conference play and move to 9-10 overall.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  • The Knights jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first two minutes after three straight Marshun Williams layups and a Jack Molstead three pointer
  • Simpson was able to get back within five points with 13:07 left in the half and then took a 18-16 lead with 11:26 left
  • After trailing by as much as six, Drew Olson connected from deep to tie the game at 26 with under eight left in the half
  • After Simpson broke the tie, The Knights went on a 13-2 run led by five points from Olson and baskets from Coey Hicks
  • Hicks scored the final four points capped off with a dunk to end the first half and Wartburg led 45-33 at the break
  • The Knights finished the half shooting 20/28 (71.4%) from the field and 5/10 (50%) from three
  • Both Molstead and Olson had four assists in the half
• Second Half
  • Simpson scored the first four points of the second half, but the Knights stretched the lead back to 13 after a three from Molstead and a layup from Williams
  • Keagan John exploded for eight straight unanswered points after a layup and back-to-back three pointers put the Knights up 60-44 with 14:21 left in the game
  • Wartburg's lead got up to 19 after scoring on four straight possessions
    • Two layups from John, an Austin Bienemann layup and a three ball from Olson
  • After a Donovon Smith layup put the Knights back up 19, Simpson went on a 8-2 run to cut the lead to 13 with 7:38 to play
  • The Knights lead was cut to 10 with just over five and a half minutes left
  • Both Hicks and Williams scored to go back up 14 and the Knights closed out a 81-74 victory

 
Top Performers

• Olson
  • 20 points
    • 8/13 FG
    • 4/6 3P
  • 10 rebounds
  • Five assists
  • Two steals
  • One block
• John
  • 19 points
    • 8/12 FG
    • 3/6 3P
  • Three assists
  • Three steals
  • Two Rebounds
• Hicks
  • 16 points
    • 8/10 FG
  • Five rebounds
  • Three blocks
  • One assist

 
Notes/Streaks

• Knights now lead the all-time series 96-42
  • Split regular season series this season
• Second career Double-double for Olson
• Wartburg team shooting percentage:
  • 63.2% FG (3^rd best this season
  • 47.4% 3P (T-2^nd best this season)
  • 0/9 FT (Season low)
• Both Molstead and Olson finished with five assists
• Seven blocks as a team is a season high
• Head coach Dick Peth is now four wins away from number 400 at Wartburg

 
Next Time Out
The Knights are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at home against Luther College at 7:30 p.m. inside Levick Arena.