SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College men's basketball team turned the ball over 27 times and hot-shooting Nebraska Wesleyan made them pay, knocking down 19 three pointers on their way to handing the 'Roos a 102-79 loss on Tuesday afternoon in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos fall to 4-6 overall with the loss.
The Prairie Wolves came out firing from long distance, knocking down three treys in the first 3:12 to take an early 13-8 lead but Austin College would force five turnovers in the next four minutes to pull even at 16 apiece on a basket by Cedric Hudson with 12:37 left in the opening half. The 'Roos would grab a 21-19 lead on a bucket by Eghosa Igbinosa, but threes from Keithan Karn and Nick Stine helped Nebraska Wesleyan go ahead 31-27 with 7:38 on the clock.
A layup by Hudson pulled the 'Roos to within two at 40-38 with 2:25 left, but Nebraska Wesleyan would close the half on an 11-0 run to head into the locker room leading 51-38. Max Ritchie would knock down two threes, and Austin College gave the ball away four times over that stretch, including three times in the final 46 seconds of the half.
Brian Baehl scored four quick points early in the second half and Aaron Anwary buried a triple to cut it to a 57-47 game with 16:25 left, and the 'Roos would battle back to within five after a bucket by Igbinosa made it 61-56 with 11:50 on the clock. Five straight points from Travis Giesselmann pushed the margin back to double digits, and after a basket by Alan Sullivan cut it to a 70-63 game, Travis Bardsley would knock down a pair of threes to make it a 76-65 game with 8:25 left.
Alvin Michael's basket with 8:12 left pulled the 'Roos to single digits, but the Prairie Wolves responded with a 12-4 run capped off by another Bardsley three to make it an 88-71 game with 5:52 left on the clock. Bardsley would knock down one more three to push the margin to 96-75, and Nebraska Wesleyan would score the game's final six points to make it a 102-79 final.
Sullivan and Hudson each finished with 15 points to lead Austin College, with Sullivan adding nine rebounds while Hudson went 5-of-5 from the field and pulled down five boards. Jeremy Swisher finished with 11 points, while Baehl and Igbinosa each chipped in nine. Igbinosa added eight boards, and Andres Rivera had five steals in the loss.
Bardsley led all scorers with 31 points, hitting 7-of-16 three pointers, and added seven assists. Giesselmann added 18 points, Ritchie finished with 14, and Karn had 12. Nebraska Wesleyan hit 19-of-52 threes and grabbed 22 offensive rebounds in the game.
Austin College will be looking to bounce back on Saturday when they host the University of Dallas in the team's first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference game of the season.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.