NWU MEN’S BASKETBALL: Prairie Wolves Fall Short, But Hang With College of Charleston In Loss
CHARLESTON, S.C. –(NWU Athletics)– Nebraska Wesleyan hung tough with NCAA Division I College of Charleston and cut the lead down to six points with 13:16 remaining but in the end the Cougars were too much for the Prairie Wolves winning 91-67 in an exhibition men’s basketball game on Tuesday night (Oct. 29) at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C.
The Cougars who were picked to finish in the top two of the Colonial Athletic Association, got hot from the outside in the second half making 8-14 from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes ending the game 13-28 on 3-point shooting.
NWU never could get their outside shooting going making just 8-30, starting the game 4-18 in the 1st half. The Prairie Wolves shot 35.3 percent from the floor in the first half compared to 53.3 percent by the Cougars, yet NWU trailed by only 11 at the break 43-32.
In the second half, NWU was able to slowly chip away at the lead and back-to-back baskets by Dylan Dirks made it a 10-point game. Nate Schimonitz then scored on two straight possessions making the score 49-43. CofC got back up by eight points then a technical foul put NWU at the free throw line and Jack Hiller converted both attempts to make it 51-45 with 13:15.
The game remained close for the next five minutes before the Prairie Wolves hit a scoring drought going over four minutes without a made field goal. The Cougars used a 14-0 run to get the lead to 24 with just over six minutes left and that put the game away.
Jack Hiller led three Prairie Wolves that scored in double figures. Hiller finished with 19 points, with four made 3-pointers to lead all scorers. He scored 14 in the 1st half and was a perfect 5-5 at the free throw line. Nate Schimonitz scored 16 points and dished out five assists, with Dylan Dirks scoring 11 points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds.
Despite being outsized by a wide margin, NWU held their own on the glass with the Cougars holding a 40-35 advantage.
College of Charleston had five players score in double figures led by Zep Jasper with 18 points going 7-9 from the field. CAA Preseason Player of the Year Grant Riller scored 16 points with seven assists.
Nebraska Wesleyan opens the 2019-20 regular season on Nov. 8 at the Wisconsin-Superior Tournament taking on nationally-ranked Saint John’s of Minnesota.
