WAVERLY, Iowa – Men's basketball fell just short of a second-half comeback against Nebraska Wesleyan University, falling 80-71 at home on Saturday, Jan. 6. The Knights are now 2-12 overall and 2-4 in American Rivers Conference play.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  • Wartburg jumped out to a 7-6 lead after two minutes after layups from Gabe Trujillo, Ethan Yungtum and then a three ball from Trujillo
  • Besh connected on a three a minute later to put Wartburg ahead 10-8, but NWU retook the lead with a quick 6-0 run
  • A Trent Allard basket cut the lead to 14-12, but the Prairie Wolves kept scoring and extended the lead to 20-13 with 11:34 left in the half
  • Carter Cuvelier converted a three-point play and then Richie Rosenblum made a three pointer to make the score 25-21 (NWU) with 8:12 left
  • A Drake Wemark steal and layup cut the lead to two, but the Prairie Wolves followed that with a 13-3 run that put NWU ahead 38-26 with three minutes left in the first
  • Late baskets from Cuvelier and Marshun Williams cut the halftime deficit to 41-31
• Second Half
  • The Knights got the lead under 10 just over two minutes into the second half after a three from Trujillo and a Yungtum basket in the paint
  • Wartburg continued the run with three pointers from Wemark and Yungtum and then three made free throws from Isaac Besh made the score 50-48 (NWU) with 13:43 to play
  • The Knights cut the lead to one twice over the next minutes with three balls from Luke Ladwig and Trujillo, but Nebraska Wesleyan continued to hold on to its lead
  • After trailing by five points, Wartburg tied the game for the first time since it was 10-10 in the first half with a Wemark bucket making it 67-67 with 3:58 to play
  • Trailing by two with under two minutes left, the Knights were unable to overcome the NWU lead as the Prairie Wolves closed on a 9-2 run for an 80-71 win
    • NWU closed the game 7/8 from the FT line in the last two minutes

Top Performers

• Ethan Yungtum
  • 15 points
    • 6/12 FG
    • 1/3 3P
    • 2/3 FT
  • Eight rebounds
  • Three assists
• Gabe Trujillo
  • 11 points
    • 4/9 FG
    • 3/5 3P
  • Three rebounds
  • One assist
• Luke Ladwig
  • Eight points
    • 3/8 FG
    • 2/5 3P
  • Five assists
  • Four rebounds

 
Notes/Streaks

• NWU now leads the all-time series 12-5
  • Third-straight win in the series
• Yungtum has scored 10+ points in his last three games
• Wartburg shooting: 43.9% FG, 45.5% 3P and 68.8% FT
  • NWU shooting: 47.7% FG, 18.2% 3P and 73.7% FT
• Knights were 7/13 from deep in the second half

 
Next Time Out
The Knights are back at home on Monday, Jan. 8 to host Emmaus Bible College at 7 P.M.