Second half run puts Pioneers past Pride
DUBUQUE, Iowa - Hosting their first home conference game since Nov. 19, the Clarke University men's basketball team dropped a 77-65 final to MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday afternoon in the Kehl Center.
The road team was able to gain an early advantage and even grow their first half lead to 11 points right before the 10-minute mark in the first half when a Uriah Boutte layup made it 19-8 where the teams would trade blows over the next 3:30, allowing MNU to maintain a double digit lead at 28-18 with just under 6:30 left to play in the half.
The Pride would pull the game within one possession twice over the remainder of the half and even make it a one-point game after a DeMarco Clayton layup with less than five seconds left in the first before Malachi Bryant of the Pioneers would hit a three-quarters court shot off the glass to put MidAmerica Nazarene up four at halftime at 41-37.
Similar to the first half, the Pioneers were able to expand their lead slightly during the early stages of the second half but again CU would be able to cut the game close, this time at 55-50 with 12 minutes left in the game before a Clarke cold shooting stretch and costly turnovers allowed MNU to go on a run.
Following a Clayton jumper to make it 55-50, the Pride would miss their next eight shots from the field and turn the ball over four times allowing MidAmerica Nazarene to go on an extended 15-2 run to put them up 18 points with just over six minutes left, allowing them to somewhat cruise to their 12-point win.
Clarke didn't have their best shooting game from the field over the entire 40 minutes, shooting 20-for-60 (33.3%) from the field with a significant free throw discrepancy helping keep CU in the game before that 15-2 run as they finished the game 19-for-23 (82.6%) from the charity stripe while MNU only attempted eight free throws all game, hitting six but shooting 32-for-55 (58.2%) from the field.
Boutte led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-14 (57.1%) shooting with Bryant adding 19 points and Caden Kaberline stuffing the stat sheet a bit with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 34 minutes.
Clayton led the Pride with 19 points on 6-of-12 (50%) shooting while Carson Lindauer had a 16-point, six-rebound game, and Sunny Parker was a rebound shy of a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds while adding two assists and two steals.
Clarke men's basketball will have finals week off from a weekday game next week before hosting Central Methodist University on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Kehl Center for a scheduled 2:00 p.m. CT between the Pride and Eagles.