ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Fans of the University of Northwestern and Bethel University Men's Basketball teams, who had to wait nearly three months for the neighborhood rivals to play each other after the November 11
th matchup was postponed to Monday night, certainly got their money's worth. The Eagles and Royals traded blows like prize fighters in an instant classic, despite both teams having a pair of big conference games coming up this week. UNW erased a 12-point, first half deficit to take a halftime lead, but clutch Bethel shots both at the end of regulation and overtime took the game to a second extra period, where the Royals were able to outlast Northwestern despite
Japheth Nyamari's (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) fourth-consecutive game of 30+ points.
The hosts got off to a hot start, taking a 27-15 lead just over 10 minutes in. UNW responded with a 21-5 surge to take its first lead of the night with 2:40 to go before halftime on an
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) three-pointer. The junior added two more field goals before the buzzer to give the Eagles a 43-38 edge at the break. By that point, Greene had accumulated nine points and Nyamari 17.
Bethel quickly tied the game out of the intermission, setting up a back-and-forth thriller the rest of the way.
Noah Frazell (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock),
Jacob Hoefs (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista) and
Will Foster (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) all drilled threes in the first six minutes to keep Northwestern in front by a hair, then Nyamari scored the next eight UNW points to give the visitors their largest lead of the game at 61-54. The Royals pulled within one with 8:15 remaining, but
Jonah Burnett (Orr, Minn./North Woods) knocked down a big trey to fend them off. Bethel answered with the next six points to move in front, but Nyamari and Hoefs scored on consecutive trips to flip the lead back to the Eagles.
A two-point Bethel lead was spoiled by Nyamari, fresh off a career-week in which he averaged 35 points per game, who made back-to-back jumpers to put Northwestern in front, 78-76 with 2:15 left. Two minutes went by until the next bucket, which came from the Royals to tie the game with 15 seconds left. Nyamari hoisted a three at the buzzer for the win, but it bounced off the front of the rim and out, sending the game to overtime.
Nyamari continued to score into the start of overtime, hitting a pair of free throws and making a layup to make it 82-80 in favor of UNW. An offensive rebound after a missed free throw led to a BU layup for the lead, but Greene responded with a clutch jumper with 2:38 remaining. A Hoefs and-one on the Eagles' next trip gave them an 87-84 advantage, and Greene hit another tough jump shot with 1:21 left to get the lead back to three. But Bethel once again hit a clutch shot, this time from behind the arc, to tie the game at 89, and misses by Greene and Nyamari in the final minute sent the game to a second overtime period.
Despite some heavy legs, Frazell drilled a three to open double OT and Greene connected on another mid-range to give UNW a three-point cushion. Bethel scored the next four and took advantage of a pair of missed free throws by Northwestern, but Nyamari gave the lead back to the visitors, 96-95, with 1:56 to play. The next five points went the Royals' way, putting them ahead by four with under a minute to play. Hoefs connected on two free throws and went coast-to-coast for a layup to try and keep the Eagles alive, but BU made just enough free throws and got enough stops to slip away with a 104-100 victory over the upset-minded Eagles.
Nyamari was sensational once again, putting up 37 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the loss. It was the seventh time the senior has scored at least 30 points this season, as well as the fourth-consecutive game. Hoefs had a great night as well, logging his fourth-career double-double with 20 points and 13 boards on 7-12 shooting. Greene chipped in 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists off the bench, while Frazell knocked down a trio of three-pointers for 13 points and snagged six rebounds. Foster played just 24 minutes, but contributed eight points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
UNW's busy week continues Wednesday with a home tilt against Bethany Lutheran, who narrowly defeated Northwestern 70-69 in the UMAC opener on January 7
th. Tip-off in the Ericksen Center is scheduled for 7:15 PM, following the conclusion of the women's game.
