MANKTAO, Minn. – As is typically the case when the University of Northwestern and Bethany Lutheran College men's basketball teams collide, fireworks happened in Mankato on Wednesday night. A tight game from start-to-finish, Bethany Lutheran was able to get revenge on Northwestern after UNW was able to defeat the Vikings in St. Paul to open UMAC play over a month ago. Using clutch shot-making and free throws to close it out, BLC pulled away late for a 90-83 victory.
The Eagles led for most of the first half, taking their first lead on an old school three-point play by
Soren Anderson (Perham, Minn./Perham). Northwestern stayed hot out of the gates, getting buckets from
Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) (twice),
Elijah Burns (Grand Prairie, Texas/Roseville Area) and
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) to take a 12-7 lead. The lead grew to eight points at 22-13 after Nyamari scored seven more points and
Caden Stevens (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) scored after ripping down an offensive rebound. Bethany would ultimately take a 26-24 lead as its three-point shooting began to heat up, but Greene evened the score at 26 with a jump shot.
The Vikings again caught fire, scoring the next six points, before
Noah Deedrick (Rochester, Minn./Century) knocked down a three-pointer to trim the deficit to three. Layups from
Noah Frazell (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock) and Nyamari got Northwestern back within two with 4:11 left in the half, then an eight-point surge from Greene put the Eagles ahead, 41-40. A jumper by
Lewis Wolbert (Milaca, Minn./Milaca) with just over a minute remaining wound up being the final points of the half, as UNW clung to a 43-42 lead.
Similar to its run early in the first half, Northwestern went streaking again to begin the second. After Bethany Lutheran was able to open up a 46-43 lead, the Eagles went on a 10-0 surge, getting buckets from Anderson, Greene (twice), Nyamari and Burns in the process. BLC would end up finding its groove and take the lead despite Burns taking two charges in a short span, but a strong drive and finish from Greene tied the score at 57-apiece. Baskets by Stevens and Wolbert, plus two free throws each from Frazell and Nyamari, gave the visitors a 65-62 edge, but it was soon erased.
Anderson stepped up and buried an open three to put UNW on top, 68-66, but it would be the final time the Eagles would lead in the game. Frazell gave Northwestern some hope with 4:33 left after drilling back-to-back treys to tie it at 78, but it was all Vikings after that. A Nyamari three-pointer with 25 seconds left brought UNW within three, but Bethany was unflappable from the free throw line, closing out a 90-83 win.
Northwestern (11-11 overall, 6-5 UMAC) was led by Nyamari, who finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Greene tallied 18 points and five assists, while Stevens led the team with eight rebounds. Anderson and Frazell each logged 11 points, with the latter adding six boards and two steals as well.
The Eagles will be back in action Saturday with a 3:00 PM road game at North Central.
