HASTINGS, NEB. – Household names like senior center Trey Brown (SR/Gretna, NE ) (Gretna, Neb.) and senior guard Zach Imig (SR/Gretna, NE ) (Gretna, Neb.) did plenty of work Sunday, Dec. 20.
However, Morningside College head mens basketball coach Jim Sykes indeed came away appreciating the Mustangs bench during an 86-67 win over the host Hastings College Broncos in Great Plains Athletic Conference action. Freshman guard Aidan Vanderloo (FR/Sioux City, IA) (Sioux City, Iowa) and sophomore guard Trey Powers (SO/Omaha, NE) (Omaha, Neb.) led a critical 37-14 advantage in reserve scoring, which proved to be one of the most significant differences in Mside ending their pre-Christmas schedule on a soprano-style note.
The pair combined for eight three-point buckets, hit 11 of 19 from the field overall and produced 30 points, six rebounds, and two assists to back up what their senior teammates offered. Brown, upping his double-digit scoring streak to 14 straight contests, found the double-double touch once again, tallying 20 points and clearing off 16 rebounds for his seventh such combo in his last ten appearances. Imig wasnt far behind from doing so, adding 19 points, eight rebounds, and dishing out six assists.
A 16-2 run midway through the first 20 minutes got things going for Sykes squad. Hastings, trailing 26-13 after the spree, never closed to less than eight the rest of the way.
Morningside, improving to 11-2 overall and 7-2 in the conference, break from competition until Jan. 6 when they conclude the first half of league play with a trip to Doane University.
HASTINGS, NEB. – Morningside College kept its Great Plains Athletic Conference lead intact by turning to one of its newer commodities Sunday, Dec. 20.
Freshman post player Chloe Lofstrom (FR/Armstrong, Iowa) (Armstrong, Iowa), whose scoring average has been on the rise like a bull stock market of late, went for double-digit points for the sixth time in her last eight outings. Her 18 points were coupled with ten boards, both of which were personal single-game highs for the first-year student-athlete in a maroon uniform, which compiled her first collegiate double-double.
Lofstrom wasnt the only power source that guided head coach Jamie Sales team to an 89-54 victory inside Hastings Colleges Lynn Farrell Arena. Senior guard Faith Meyer (SR/Pomeroy, Iowa) (Pomeroy, Iowa) equaled a single-game personal best with 17 points. Sophomore guard McKenna Sims (SO/South Sioux City, Neb.) (South Sioux City, Neb.) and junior forward Sophia Peppers (JR/Exira, Iowa) (Exira, Iowa) contributed 14 points apiece. Peppers was only two rebounds short of a double-double and had another sparkling stat line that included five assists.
Mside, going to 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the GPAC, scored 15 of the games first 20 points and didnt look back. They kept the host Broncos in a tough spot throughout the 40 minutes, limiting them to 35.1 percent overall field goal shooting and less than 35 percent from outside the arc. Hastings also committed 23 turnovers and was out-boarded 44-33 by their guests.
The Maroon is back home on their Allee Gymnasium court inside the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center Thursday, Dec. 31. They face off against Northwestern College at 6 p.m.
