Men's Basketball Comes Up Short in Conference Opener
(Hastings, NE) - The men’s basketball team began their conference season with a home game against Dakota Wesleyan. The Tigers led by 14 at the half and ended up winning, 68-55.
(Hastings, NE) - The men's basketball team began their conference season with a home game against Dakota Wesleyan. The Tigers led by 14 at the half and ended up winning, 68-55.
Junior Ben Boudreau scored to start the scoring, but the Tigers scored the next eight points to take an 8-2 lead. Sophomore Micah Hinrichs came off the bench and scored twice, then after a Dakota Wesleyan basket, Boudreau drilled a three to get within one with 14:08 left in the first half. Trailing 17-11, freshman Riley Bombeck skied for two on an offensive putback with 9:35 remaining.
The Tigers went on a 12-4 run over the next seven minutes to take a 29-17 lead with 2:40 until break. Junior Owen Wright scored inside and senior DaRon Hall split a pair of free throws in the final stretch before half, but Dakota Wesleyan was able to pull ahead to a 34-20 halftime lead.
Hall and sophomore Maverick Binder gave Hastings a spark to start the second half, each hitting a three to get within eight 70 seconds into the second half. Down 11, Binder hit his second three of the half at the 16:16 mark. They got within six on a two from Bombeck, but the Tigers stretched the lead back to 12 less than three minutes later.
Binder and Boudreau helped bring the deficit back within single digits with a pair of baskets, making it 51-43, as Hastings was able to keep it within striking distance, but was never able to get much closer. Dakota Wesleyan went up 59-46 and after a Binder three at the 4:59 mark, the Tigers scored five straight points and closed out the game, 68-55.
Dakota Wesleyan shot 49 percent from the field to Hastings' 35 percent and the Tigers held a 37-30 advantage on the glass. Hall led the way with 19 points and three assists. Binder had 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Boudreau finished with 10 points and two steals.
Up next, Hastings will play at Doane on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7:45pm.
