NWU MEN'S BASKETBALL: Prairiewolves Fall At Buena Vista In Season Debut

STORM LAKE, Iowa (NWU Athletics Feb. 3) – The Nebraska Wesleyan men’s basketball team dropped its season opener to Buena Vista (3-1, 3-1 A-R-C) 76-64. It was NWU’s first game back since March 7, 2020, nearly an 11-month layoff.

The Prairie Wolves couldn’t shake a cold-shooting night from the three-point line in the loss. In the first half, Nebraska Wesleyan was just 2-of-13 from the three-point line and 18.5 percent for the game. Despite the cold-shooting, NWU forced Buena Vista to shoot under 32 percent from beyond the arc in the half. Elijah Thatch was a spark off the bench for Nebraska Wesleyan in the first half, as he finished with seven points, five rebounds, and three steals in 11 minutes of action.

In the second half, the Prairie Wolves tried to chip away at the deficit by outscoring the Beavers 23-15 over the final 10 minutes, including ending the game on a 9-3 run. The half also saw Nebraska Wesleyan’s Peyton Priest find his groove from deep as he hit 3-of-5 from the three-point arc. However, BVU never let NWU generate enough momentum to rally a comeback.

Notable Stats and Performances
-With the win, BVU snapped NWU’s five-game winning streak in the series.
-The Prairie Wolves held the Beavers to their second-lowest scoring output of the season.
-Nebraska Wesleyan outscored Buena Vista 36-31 in the second half.
-NWU forced BVU to commit a season-high 15 turnovers.
–Peyton Priest and Josh Rogers both had a team-high 12 points for NWU.
-BVU’s Zane Neubaum finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.