Late Doane run side-steps Mustangs

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside University put three starters in double figures Saturday, Jan. 15, but it wasn't enough to ensure wrapping up an unbeaten Great Plains Athletic Conference week.

The triumvirate of senior center Trey Brown (Gretna, Neb.), senior guard Zach Imig (Gretna, Neb.), and junior guard Will Pottebaum (LeMars, Iowa) all registered 10-or-more points during an extra-session thriller at Allee Gymnasium of the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center. Brown topped the group with 14 points to go with seven rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot; Imig added 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal; Pottebaum finished with 11 points and three boards. 

Coupled with a bench effort of 20 points, each of those superlatives left head coach Trent Miller's team a point short in a challenging 72-71 loss to start the second half of conference play. Mside appeared on the verge of the victory, leading 57-46 with just over seven minutes to play in regulation, but the visiting Tigers of Doane University, as has been the case during the 2021-22 campaign, stayed the course with a 16-5 rally to send the game into overtime. Both sides held slight advantages in overtime before Imig drained a three-pointer with 19 seconds left only to be countered by DU sophomore center Josiah Gardiner hitting a fadeaway bucket as the clock ran out for the game-winner.

Mside (10-6 overall, 7-4 GPAC) travels to Seward, Neb., Wednesday, Jan. 19, for a 7:45 p.m. clash with Concordia University.