Courtesy of Midland Athletics
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Midland University men’s basketball competed in their final conference game of the calendar year on Saturday afternoon as they faced Briar Cliff University. The Warriors secured the victory over the Chargers in overtime, 84-73, and are now winners of six of their last seven games.
The win marks Midland’s first overtime victory since 2019, having dropped their last three overtime games including two this season. On Saturday, they outscored Briar Cliff 15-4 in the extra period to earn a double-digit win.
The contest did not seem destined for a tight finish early on. Midland led by as many as 14 points and held a 48-35 lead at halftime. The Warriors connected on 10 triples in the half and did not commit a single turnover through 20 minutes.
After the intermission, Briar Cliff was a different team and used a 20-7 run to tie the game at 55 within eight minutes into the period.
The Warriors struggled on the offensive end in the half, scoring just 21 points and connecting on only one three-point shot (1-of-14).
Late in the period, the two sides traded blows, Briar Cliff tied the game at 67 with a three-point shot at the 1:42 mark. With just 13 seconds remaining, Jake Rueschhoff connected on an acrobatic up and under lay-up to give the Warriors a two-point lead.
After a timeout, Briar Cliff inbounded the ball, and their second-leading scorer of the game, Jaden Kleinhesselink, earned a lay-up after he found a wide-open lane to the basket.
Tied at 69, all signs were pointing towards a back and forth overtime period, but it was just the opposite. The Warriors’ offense was aggressive and scored nine consecutive points to start the extra period. The Chargers scored their first points of overtime with just 2:37 left to play, but they never pulled within five points as four Laurence Merritt free throws closed out the 84-73 win.
Merritt led the Warriors’ attack, as he tied his season-high point total of 29 points. He has scored 20 or more in four consecutive games and has seven games of 20 points or more this season. Bo Sandquist added 24 points and also grabbed 8 rebounds. Rueschhoff rounded out the Warriors’ double-digit scorers with 17 points.
Up next for the Warriors (11-4, 4-3 GPAC) is a much-needed holiday break. Having battled illness off the court and conference foes on it, Midland is off for just over two weeks until they compete in the Bellevue Classic in Bellevue, Nebraska. Tip-off inside the Lozier Athletic Center against Mayville State (6-3) is set for 5:00 p.m. on December 29 with a 7:00 p.m. tilt against Bellevue (7-6) on December 30.
