GPAC barnburner goes way of Briar Cliff

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – A ferocious second-half rally in front of a packed house at Allee Gymnasium of the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center wound up just short for Morningside University Saturday, Feb. 5.

Crosstown Great Plains Athletic Conference rival Briar Cliff University got out to a hot start, primarily due to deft three-point shooting skills. A 16-6 opening kick-started the Chargers, but the host Mustangs kept them within arms reach the rest of the first 20 minutes, trailing only 34-26 at halftime. 

The visitors got another quick beginning in the second half. Posting 23 of the first 35 points in the frame, BC led 57-38, their most prominent contest advantage. 

Enter head coach Trent Miller's never-say-die Mustangs. Chipping away at every turn as the home crowd's enthusiasm grew to a fever pitch, Morningside found itself as close as one point twice down the stretch. Trailing 81-78 with 19 seconds left, Mside set up a three-point shot attempt from junior guard Will Pottebaum (LeMars, Iowa) that hit the front of the rim and grazed away as the clock ran out on a narrow defeat.

Sophomore guard Aidan Vanderloo (Sioux City, Iowa) led four home teamers in double figures. He went six-of-15 from the field, including two of five from outside the arc for 16 points. Pottebaum's 14 points came off the bench, and sophomore center Ely Doble (Gretna, Neb.) and senior guard Zach Imig (Gretna, Neb.) tallied 10 points. Imig turned in a double-double with 11 rebounds on his stat line.

Morningside (12-10 overall, 9-7 league) continues a three-game homestand Friday, Feb. 11. The Mustangs host the University of Jamestown for a 7:45 p.m. tip-off. 

NOTE: Imig's afternoon totals allowed him to move into fifth on the program's all-time scoring list. He surpassed former teammate Brody Egger's 1.677 points with his new level of1,684.