By Tad Dorsey

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GPAC Standings

• #1 Morningside started the week by extending their perfect streak to 23-0 with an 81-70 win over Hastings.  This win tied a consecutive win streak for Morningside. Hastings played a strong game as they are fighting to make the GPAC Tournament, but they could not hang with Morningside, especially without Bart Hiscock in the lineup.  The first half was closely contested, with the Mustangs leading 39-34 at halftime. The 2^nd half was much smoother for Morningside as they put the game away.  Tyler Borchers had a career game, scoring a career high 37 points on 15 of 22 shooting.  He also added 13 rebounds and 3 blocks. The perfect season for Morningside came to a screeching halt in the Newman Flannigan Center, as they fell to their crosstown rivals Briar Cliff 94-83.  This loss prevented Morningside from getting a record breaking 24^th win in a row.  The first half was very tight, as a flurry of three pointers from both sides were exchanged.  Several big threes from Ben Hoskins kept the Mustangs in the game, as they were behind 49-42 at halftime.  In the second half it seemed as if Morningside was always a run away from overcoming the deficit, but that extended run that we’ve been accustomed to seeing never came, as they could never get close enough in the 2^nd half.  Tyler Borchers had another solid effort, scoring 23 tough points on 8 of 19 shooting, while adding 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.  Alex Borchers added 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals. Morningside drops to 23-1 on the season and 15-1 in the GPAC. They remain 4 games ahead of Dakota Wesleyan for the GPAC lead.  Their magic number to clinch the regular season championship is 2. They play at home against Midland on Wednesday, before traveling to the Corn Palace to take on #10 Daktoa Wesleyan.  
• #10 Dakota Wesleyan opened the week with an 82-75 loss at home against Jamestown.  It was a game that was dominated by the shooting effort of Jamestown.  The Jimmies opened the game on a 24-10 run with a strong 3-point effort.  The Tigers would battle back, using a dunk by Mason Larson, and several baskets by Ty Hoglund to get within a point.  The Tigers would still be behind at halftime, 44-38. The Tigers eventually drew even in the 2^nd half, as a three pointer from Collin Kramer tied it at 55 with 11:29 left.  Jamestown responded with an 11-5 run for a 66-60 lead with 7 minutes left. The Tigers attempted to battle back but could never get back in control of the game.  Hoglund had another phenomenal game, going 13 of 25 with 39 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Mason Larson was 6 for 11 with 14 points and 6 rebounds. The Tigers rebounded by knocking off RV Concordia 71-50 to remain alone in 2^nd in the GPAC.  This game was never really in question, as early three-point baskets by the Tigers created distance.  DWU lead 38-26 at halftime. They continued the momentum into the 2^nd half with a few big runs to put the game away.  Hoglund had another strong game, going 7 for 13 with 20 points.  He’s been one of the most consistent players in the conference. Koln Oppold was also a big-time contributor, going 7 for 11 with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.  The Tigers are 18-5 and 10-4 in the GPAC. That’s good for 2^nd place, 4 games behind #1 Morningside, and 1.5 ahead of 17 Mount Marty and RV Dordt.  The Tigers are at Briar Cliff on Wednesday and host #1 Morningside on Saturday.  

• RV Dordt won their only game of the week, beating Midland 100-79 in Fremont to extend their 3-game winning streak.  This game was never in question. The Defenders doubled up Midland at 48-24 with 4:43 left in the first half.  The score was 55-34 at half. Midland did have a run in the 2^nd half, cutting the lead to 59-51 with 15:14 left.  Marcus Winterfield used a lob play and a three to put an end to the run, and Dordt lead comfortably for the rest of the game.  Ben Gesink had a big game, going 8 for 11 with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Cade Bleeker was 6-9 (4-5 from 3) with 19 points and 9 rebounds.  Garrett Franken posted a double double, going 7 for 15 with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Defenders improve to 18-7 and 9-6 in the GPAC. That’s good for a third-place tie with #17 Mount Marty, 1.5 behind #10 DWU and 0.5 up on RV Concordia and Northwestern.  Dordt is at Northwestern on Wednesday before hosting RV Concordia Saturday. Big games for seeding purposes.  
• #17 Mount Marty was upset by Briar Cliff in their first game, falling 100-90.  The Lancers had an 18-6 run early on to take a 34-22 lead with 6:30 left in the first half.  The Chargers answered and forced a 44 all tie at halftime. Briar Cliff lead for most of the 2^nd half, though with their shooting the Lancers were never truly out of the game.  It was a very strong effort for Chris King, as he went 13-26 (6-13 from 3 8-8 from the line) for 40 points and 6 rebounds.  The Lancers rebounded with a solid 86-60 win against Doane. After a close affair early on, the Lancers ended the half on a strong run to take a 40-28 lead.  The Lancers dominated the 2^nd half and cruised to a victory.  Chris King had another strong game, going 9-16 (6-13 from 3) with 24 points and 6 assists.  Colby Johnson contributed 22 points and 7 rebounds on 9-13 shooting. Jailen Billings was solid off the bench hitting 4 of 9 threes for 12 points.  The Lancers are 18-7 and 9-6 in the GPAC. They are tied with RV Dordt in third place. They are at Jamestown on Wednesday.  
• RV Concordia opened the week with a tense victory over Northwestern, winning 86-82.  For a majority of the game, it seemed as if the Bulldogs would run away with this one.  After taking a 43-33 lead into halftime, Concordia opened the 2^nd half in a big way.  They opened the 2^nd half on a 21-7 run to take a 64-40 lead with under 12 minutes to go.  The Red Raiders got within 2 points in the game’s final minute with a solid display of shooting.  Concordia did just enough to escape with a solid victory over Northwestern. This victory secured a sweep for Concordia, which could be pivotal in determining seeding in the tournament.  Tanner Shuck was solid for Concordia, going 9 for 17 (5-8 from 3) with 23 pionts and 4 rebounds. Brevin Sloup went 6-12 (5-11 from 3) with 19 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds. Chuol Biel had a big impact, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking 7 shots.  The Bulldogs ran into some shooting struggles in their last game, falling 71-50 at #10 Dakota Wesleyan. Early on in the game Concordia battled. They were only down by 4, 41-37, with 15 minutes left in the game. They didn’t hit a basket for the next 6 minutes, and saw the Tigers take a 22-point lead.  Brevin Sloup and AJ Watson led the team with 11 points apiece. Concordia is 17-7 and 8-6 in the GPAC. They are tied for 5^th with Northwestern, a half-game behind RV Dordt and #17 Mount Marty, and a game up on Jamestown.  They take the road twice this week, playing at Doane on Wednesday and at RV Dordt on Saturday.  
• Northwestern lost to RV Concordia 86-82 in Seward to open their week.  The first 13 minutes were competitive, as the Raiders had a 32-30 lead.  The Bulldogs ended the half on a 13-1 run for a 43-33 halftime lead. The Raiders founded themselves in major trouble early in the 2^nd half, trailing 64-40 with 13 minutes left in the game.  They answered with a 14-2 run to pull within 66-54 with 8:47 left.  After trading baskets, the Raiders used another run (15-4 this time) to cut the lead to 84-82 with 30 seconds left.  This run included 9 points from Grant DeMeulenaere. A Concordia free throw gave them a 3-point lead. Northwestern had chances to tie the game with a three but missed a pair of threes as the comeback came just short.  Trent Hilbrands led the Raiders with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Raiders rebounded to defeat Hastings 76-64 on the road. Northwestern dominated the 1^st half, using a pair of big runs to take a 45-28 lead.  Hastings battled to get the lead down to 4 with 9:11 left in the game.  Northwestern’s lead was at 67-62 with 3:20 left. At that point the Raiders closed the game on a 9-2 run to secure the victory.  Hilbrands scored 17 points on 7-12 shooting (3-5 from 3) with 5 rebounds for NWC. Craig Sterk added 14 points on 6-12 shooting with 5 rebounds.  The Raiders are 16-8 and 8-6 in the GPAC. They are tied for 5^th in the GPAC with RV Concordia.  They host RV Dordt on Wednesday and host Doane on Saturday.  
• Jamestown had a massive upset of #10 Dakota Wesleyan in their only game this week, winning 82-75 at the Corn Palace.  This was the 100^th career win for Coach Danny Neville.  Jamestown opened the game blazing hot from the field as they took a 20-8 lead.  A three by Jake Talley put the Jimmies up 15 with 9:46 left in the first half. DWU would not go down easy, as they battled within one point later in the half.  A late three by Terrell Alfred and shot by Talley allowed the Jimmies to take a 44-38 lead into the lockers. DWU did manage to tie the game at 55 with 11:29 left in the game.  The Jimmies regained the lead with a jumper and a three by Isaiah Dobson. A late 8-0 Jimmie run put the game on ice. As a team, Jamestown shot an outstanding 11 of 16 from three-point range. The attack was led by Jack Talley and Terrell Alfred, as they each went 4-5 from 3.  Talley finished with 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Alfred finished with 18 and 7. Isaiah Dobson also contributed to the shooting effort, going 3-6 from 3 with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Jamestown improves to 16-8 and 7-7 in the GPAC. They are in 7^th place, 1 game behind RV Concordia and Northwestern, and 1.5 up on Hastings.  

•  Hastings lost their first game to #1 Morningside 81-70.  It was a valiant effort from the Broncos without Bart Hiscock in the lineup. It was a battle early on, as the Broncos used an 8-0 run to take a 10-9 lead just over 5 minutes into the game.  With the game tied at 19, Morningside went on a 13-2 run to take a 32-21 lead. A late three from Brendan Lipovsky and a shot by Zach Kitten trimmed the lead to 39-34 at halftime. Morningside exerted some dominance early in the 2^nd half, going on an 8-0 run.  Hastings was down 21 midway through the half.  The Broncos did have a 20-9 to cut the lead to 10 with 5:51 left.  They could not get much closer. Kitten had a big game, going 7 for 11 with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks.  Logan Cale was 5-9 with 14 points. The Broncos also fell to Northwestern 76-64. It was a battle early on, as Northwestern lead 11-9 with 15:16 left.  Northwestern ended the half on a big run to take a 45-28 lead. Hastings battled in the 2^nd half.  A basket by Zach Kitten with 13:36 left cut the Raider lead to 52-43.  Bart Hiscock hit a three on the following possession to cut the lead to six.  Free throws by Brendan Lipovsky cut the lead to four with 5:21 left, but the Broncos were unable to get any closer.  Hiscock returned from a two game illness absence with a big game, going 10-19 with 27 points and 7 rebounds. Lipovsky was 6-12 with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.  Hastings falls to 13-12 and 6-9 in the GPAC. They remain in 8^th, but see their lead on the last tournament spot slip to just 2 games over Briar Cliff.  

Currently out of GPAC Tournament

• Briar Cliff had a season saving week!  Coming into the week the Chargers were four games out of the conference tournament and had their next three games against top 17 teams. They started out by upsetting #17 Mount Marty 100-90 in Yankton.  The Chargers got themselves in a deficit early, as MMC lead by 12 with 6:30 left before halftime. A 19-7 run by Briar Cliff allowed the Chargers to tie the game at 44 at halftime. An absurd shooting effort in the 2^nd half allowed Briar Cliff to post the victory.  Jackson Lamb had a record performance. He scored a career high 54 points on 18-32 shooting (8-17 from 3, 10-12 at the line).  This is the 2^nd most points scored in NAIA DII this season.  This is the fourth highest scoring game in Briar Cliff history, tying Rolando Frazer.  This is the third highest scoring game in GPAC history. And he passed Chargers assistant coach Bryan Forbes career point total.  Jackson’s 1,781 career points rank 11^th all time at Briar Cliff.  He also added 11 rebounds in the game.  The Chargers continued their massive week with an upset victory over #1 Morningside, 94-83.  This was the first loss on the season for Morningside, and broke a four game losing streak in the crosstown rivalry.  It was a back and forth battle early on. Briar Cliff took a 21-16 lead with 13:51 left in the first half on a three from Jaden Kleinhesselink.  Morningside answered with a 9-2 run. Back to back threes from freshman Nick Hoyt and Conner Groves gave the Chargers a 29-25 lead with 10:16 left in the half.  The Chargers took their largest lead of the game with 7:57 left on a three by Jackson Lamb to go up 40-28. Morningside wouldn’t go away, battling back to 43-42 with 2:34 left in the half.   The Chargers scored the last 6 of the half to go up 49-42 at halftime. Another three from Groves extended the Chargers’ lead back to 12, at 65-53 with 14:05 left. At that point Morningside continued to stay within arm’s reach of the Chargers.  Late free throws allowed the Chargers to secure the upset. Jackson Lamb had a big game, going 8-19 with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. The biggest factor in the game for Briar Cliff was their trio of big men, which was very unexpected as Morningside had the size advantage.  Austin Roetman, Tony Bonner, and Codey Hicks combined to shoot 11-12 with a total of 24 points. They also played a part in the Chargers winning the rebounding battle 42-33. The wins for Briar Cliff improve their record to 13-12 and 4-11 in the GPAC. They are in 9^th place, 2 games behind Hastings for the last tournament spot.  Briar Cliff’s win over Morningside gives them the tiebreaker over Hastings, as the teams split.  The next tiebreaker is record against the top team in the conference. BCU is 1-1 against Mside while Hastings is 0-2.  The Chargers host #10 Dakota Wesleyan on Wednesday before hosting Midland Saturday.  
• Midland fell 100-79 against RV Dordt in their only game.  The game was never all that close, as Dordt had a 55-34 lead at halftime.  The Warriors did have a run in the second half with baskets from Laurence merritt and Sam Mailloux to cut the lead to 13.  They did get within single digits a bit later. The deficit was to much to overcome in the end. Emanuel Bryson lead Midland off the bench, going 9-22 with 21 points and 3 steals.  The Warriors fall to 7-14 and 3-11 in the GPAC. They are in 10^th place and 2.5 behind Hastings for the last tournament spot.  The Warriors are at #1 Morningside Wednesday and remain in Sioux City for a battle with Briar Cliff on Saturday.

• Doane opened the week with a victory over Nebraska Christian, winning 81-42.  It was just their 2^nd home win of the season.  The game was never in doubt.  Anthony Laravie hit a three 11 seconds into the game, and Doane lead the rest of the way.  Doane opened up 9-0. The Tigers were led by Laravie’s 16 points on 6 of 14 (4-8) shooting.  Chukwudi Onwumere went 4-8 with 14 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Joe Burt scored 13 on 5-8 (3-6) shooting.  The Tigers fell 86-60 against #17 Mount Marty. Doane never led in this game and was throughouly dominated. Jaxon Harre led Doane with 16 points on 6-8 shooting.  Doane improves to 6-18 on the season and 1-13 in the GPAC. They are last in the conference, 4.5 behind Hastings for the last tournament spot. They host RV Concordia on Wednesday and are at Northwestern Saturday.  

TAD’S POWER RANKINGS

1. Morningside (-) – Better to take a loss now than in the tournament.  They’ll be fine
2. Dakota Wesleyan (-) – Big victory over Concordia to stay in 2^nd 
3. Mount Marty (-) – Facing some defensive struggles 
4. Dordt (-) – Dropped 100 on Midland.  
5. Concordia (-) – Big win over Northwestern 
6. Jamestown (+2) – Win over Dakota Wesleyan can kickstart a big run.  This is a good team that nobody seems to talk about
7. Northwestern (-1) – The victory over Hastings is important
8. Briar Cliff (+1) – Sets themselves up with a chance to make a run at the conference tournament. 
9. Hastings (-2) – Can they hold onto the last spot in the tournament?
10. Midland (-) – Defense was a problem against Dordt
11. Doane (-) – Got a win this week

Stat Leaders

Points Per Game

1. Jackson Lamb (BCU) 24.16 ppg
2. Ty Hoglund (DWU) 22.18 ppg
3. Bart Hiscock (HAS) 21.57 ppg
4. Chris King (MMC) 21.54 ppg
5. Tyler Borchers (MOR) 18.04 ppg

FG%

• Tyler Borchers (MOR) 63.4%
• Colby Johnson (MMC) 57.5%
• Craig Sterk (NWC) 57.4%
• Zach imig (MOR) 53.8%
• Bart Hiscock (HAS) 52.0%

3pt%

• Nick Hoyt (BCU) 54.1%
• Colby Johnson (MMC) 49.5%
• Ben Hoskins (MOR) 48.4%
• Cade Bleeker (DOR) 48.2%
• Jaden Kleinhesselink (BCU) 47.6%

Free Throw %

• Jackson Lamb (BCU) 89.6%
• Isaiah Dobson (JAM) 89.6%
• Ty Hoglund (DWU) 86.2%
• Chris King (MMC) 80.9%
• Alex Borchers (MOR) 79.0%

Assists per game

• Zach Imig (MOR) 4.09 apg
• Jordan Johnson (MMC) 4.05 apg
• Isaiah Dobson (JAM) 3.57 apg
• Matt Hahn (MOR) 3.54 apg
• Mason Hiemstra (HAS) 3.12 apg

Rebounds per game

• Bart Hiscock (HAS) 8.30 rpg
• Garrett Franken (DOR) 7.52 rpg
• Chuol Biel (CON) 7.48 rpg
• Miguel Lopez (DOA) 7.39 rpg
• Jack Talley (JAM) 7.32 rpg

Blocks per game

• Chuol Biel (CON) 1.87 bpg
• Brock Schrom (JAM) 1.52 bpg
• Craig Sterk (NWC) 1.17 bpg
• Tyler Borchers (MOR) 1.00 bpg
• Samuel Mailloux (MID) 0.86 bpg

Steals per game

• Chris King (MMC) 1.75 spg
• Isiah Sykes (DOA) 1.61 spg
• Samuel McCloud (DWU) 1.57 spg
• Mason Hiemstra (HAS) 1.52 spg
• Laurence Merritt (MID) 1.45 spg

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Wednesday February 5^th 

RV Dordt (18-7 9-6) @ Northwestern (16-8 8-6)

• Always fun when these rivals match up

#17 Mount Marty (18-7 9-6) @ Jamestown (16-8 7-7)

• Expect very large numbers on the scoreboards here.  These teams can both light it up

Saturday February 8th  

#1 Morningside (23-1 15-1) @ #10 Dakota Wesleyan (18-5 10-4)

• Mustangs will have a chance to clinch the regular season title in the Corn Palace, if they haven’t already.  

RV Concordia (17-7 8-6) @ RV Dordt (18-7 9-6)

• Big for seeding in the GPAC tournament, also a bubble game in for national qualification