GPAC

[Men's Basketball] Men's Basketball Nipped in Final Seconds

The Men's Basketball team battled back from an early 18-point deficit to Northwestern on Saturday but came shy of the upset victory, falling 79-77. The Tigers clawed their way back and took the lead in the closing seconds only to have the Red Raiders score off an offensive rebound and foul with 2.7 left to play.Northwestern jumped out to a 13-0 lead before Doane was able to get on the board. The Red Raiders led 22-4 with 13 minutes left in the opening half for their largest lead of the game. An 18-6 run by the Tigers cut the deficit to six points, 28-22, as Tyler Sullivan (JR/Gretna, Neb.) and Ben Moxness (JR/Scribner, Neb.) had five points apiece in the run. Northwestern was able to put the lead back to 10 and went into halftime with a 45-38 lead over Doane.In the second half, the Tigers took their first lead of the game at the 13:46 mark following a 3-point basket by Joe Burt (JR/Lincoln, Neb.) and a jumper by Jaxon Harre (SR/Omaha, Neb.) to go ahead, 54-53. The teams would exchange the lead eight times in the final 14 minutes of the game. With the game tied at 64-all with 7:18 to play, the Red Raiders went on a 12-4 run to take an eight point lead, 76-68, with 2:46 to go. Doane answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead with 14 seconds left as Burt knocked down two free throws to take the lead. On Northwestern's final possession, Alex Van Kalsbeek collected an offensive rebound and putback to regain the lead. He was fouled on the play and made his free throw to go up two. The Red Raiders stole the Tiger inbound to cap off the game.Anthony Laravie (SR/Omaha, Neb.) finished with a team-high 17 points and four assists. Burt added 14 points with Harre and Moxness adding 10 apiece. Max Masin (JR/Ponca, Neb.) collected a game-high seven rebounds to go with nine points and three blocked shots. Laravie, Burt, and Harre picked up two steals apiece. Doane shot 41-percent (26-63) for the game and 30-percent (9-30) from behind the arc while converting 84-percent (16-19) at the charity stripe.Craig Sterk posted a game-high 25 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists for the Red Raiders. Trent Hilbrands finished with 23 points and five assists while Van Kalsbeek posted 21 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.Doane will have a week to prepare for the final home game of the season as they will host Dordt on Saturday, January 23, at 4 PM in the Haddix Center.