Spartans rebound with 89-71 home win

The Southwestern men's basketball team got just the tonic it needed heading into the holiday break in an 89-71 victory Friday over Southeast (Nebraska) Community College.

Less than 24 hours after their first home loss in 20 games, dating back to March 2016, the Spartans withstood a few brief surges by the Storm to post the 18-point win and take a 12-3 record into the break.

Unlike Thursday's 81-79 loss to Kankakee Community College of Illinois, Southwestern's offense was clicking to start each half, and ended the game on a 23-13 run over the final eight minutes.

Todd Lorensen, coach of the defending national champion Spartans, said it's better for the team to step away for awhile with some confidence, rather than the taste of defeat one night earlier.

"The way it worked out, it was good that we had this game scheduled to back that one up," Lorensen said. "We can take a breath and enjoy our Christmas break. About 20 hours ago, we weren't feeling so good about things."

Still, this was a game where both teams went on significant runs at opposite times, so the margin of Southwestern's lead took some sizable swings.

Momentum swings

The Spartans showed they were ready to make up for Thursday's defeat in the early going, establishing an 8-0 lead that quickly grew to 15 points at 26-11.

Joel Wooten, Southeast's coach and former coach of the Red Oak boys, burned two timeouts and inspired his team to go on an 18-2 run that pushed the Storm in front, 29-28.

The Spartans answered with their own burst, with a 16-4 run that sent them into halftime with a 44-33 lead.

That grew to 49-35 in the early minutes of the second half. Then, in just two minutes it was shaved back to five points at 51-46.

Decisive burst

Lorensen called a timeout. Southwestern seemed energized, with three quick unanswered baskets on a drive by Alijah Thomas, a steal and layup by Terence Shelby Jr. and a 3-pointer by freshman Chad Moran of Lewis Central.

Suddenly it was a 12-point margin again at 58-46, and the closest it would get until the end of the game was an eight-point spread at 66-58 with 8:44 to play.

Southwestern's first 20-point lead came just four minutes later at 78-58.

"It certainly was a game of runs that first 30 minutes," Lorensen said. "We started the first half really well and finished the first half really well. We wanted to come out and win the first five minutes of the second half, which we did, but then you look up and it's a five-point game."

When the season resumes in January, Lorensen said one of the goals will be to put a team away when there is an opportunity.

"Right now, that's where we need to grow as a team," Lorensen said. "We don't really have that killer instinct. When we get that 12 to 15-point lead, it's time to get a stop and a big basket. When we go on our lulls, more often than not it's a matter of getting less quality shots, just being a little impatient. That allows teams to make a shot here and there and the next thing you know it's down to six points."

Ranked fourth in the nation before Thursday's loss, Southwestern is still capable of making a run for another ICCAC Division II championship and national tourney berth, Lorensen said. But, the path could be much different.

"We are a volatile group right now," he said. "We can be really, really good. But, we can also be below average at times. Last year we were pretty steady. On nights when we're locked in, we can be as good as anybody. But what we don't have right now, whether it's lack of discipline or maturity, is an ability to be engaged defensively on a daily basis. Thursday night was one of those nights."

It's shaping up to be a balanced race in the ICCAC this year, whereas last year Southwestern and Kirkwood were the cream of the crop. Southwestern won last year's crown at 11-1.

Behind Southwestern's ranking of No. 4, Iowa Central is 13th and three teams — DMACC, Iowa Lakes and Kirkwood — have received votes.

"The league is not as top-heavy as last year," Lorensen said. "It's more balanced. I think 9-3 or even 8-4 could win it this year."

UP NEXT — Southwestern travels to Division I Southeastern in a Jan. 9 game at West Burlington before starting conference play at home Jan. 13 in a key game against Iowa Lakes.

"We scheduled Southeastern like that on purpose," Lorensen said. "They are a Division I team. They swept Kirkwood, beat DMACC by 18, beat NIACC by 50 and won by 13 at Iowa Lakes, which is never easy. It's going to be a very good test for us."

SWCC — 44 89

SOUTHEAST — 33 71

SOUTHWESTERN (FG FT PTS) — Totals — 32 16-19 89. Terence Shelby Jr. 8 4-4 23, Chad Moran 5 5-6 16, Alijah Thomas 6 1-2 14, Khallid Edwards 4 2-2 11, Gatdoar Kueth 4 2-2 11, D'Marqueyon Whittington 2 0-0 6, Mahrion Butler 2 2-3 6, Nate Lee 1 0-0 2. 3-point goals — 9 (Shelby Jr. 3, Whittington 2, Thomas 1, Edwards 1, Moran 1, Kueth 1). Team fouls — 9. Fouled out — None.

SOUTHEAST, Neb. (FG FT PTS) — Totals — 27 5-9 71. Jalen Wilkins-McCoy 7 2-3 18, Alex Dantzler 6 0-0 17, Kalem Hardaway 6 0-1 14, Shou Nisbet 4 2-3 10, Darian McDonald 2 0-0 6, Daniel Quesenberry 2 1-2 6. 3-point goals — 12 (Dantzler 5, Wilkins-McCoy 2, Hardaway 2, McDonald 2, Quesenberry 1). Team fouls — 12. Fouled out — None.