WAVERLY, Iowa - The Coe College men's basketball team pulled out a 79-78 victory at Wartburg College on Wednesday evening. Coe and Wartburg traded blows in the early moments of the first half but the visitors built a double-digit lead with just over six minutes left in the period. The Knights fought back before the end of the half, outscoring Coe 20-4 to tie the game at 36 after 20 minutes of play. The Kohawks responded in the first few minutes of the second, regaining a multi-possession lead after outscoring the Knights 18-11. Coe continued to pile on to its lead over the next seven minutes, extending its advantage to 13 at 72-59. Wartburg then stormed back, ripping off a 19-5 stretch to regain a one-point lead with 11 seconds remaining. Coe won the game on the following possession, breaking the Wartburg press to find
TJ Schnurr who slammed home a two-handed dunk to put the Kohawks up for good. The hosts had one final chance as time expired from the game clock but a potential game-winning jumper came up empty. Schnurr led Coe's offensive effort, posting a team-high 19 points while adding eight boards and one steal.
Bennett Sherry continued the strong close to his season, posting 18 points, three boards and five steals in 32 minutes of action.
Cael Schmitt and
Greg Hall were the final two Kohawks to eclipse double digits, posting 15 and 13 points respectively. The win for Coe snaps a five-game losing streak and moves the Kohawks to 12-12 overall and 6-9 in the A-R-C while Wartburg drops to 12-12 and 8-7 in the league.
GAME FACTS:
COE 79 - WARTBURG 78
- Coe got off to a solid start in the game opening with a quick 10-4 in the first four minutes of action. Schnurr led the Kohawks early on, scoring five points including a 3 to cap the spurt. Wartburg owned the next few minutes, doubling up on Coe as the hosts outscored the visitors 12-6 to tie the game at 16 just over eight minutes in.
- The Kohawks responded during the next five minutes and change, scoring 16 unanswered points to take control. Sherry spearheaded the dominant stretch for Coe, scoring 10 points along the way as the sophomore hit four-straight shots including a pair of 3s. Wartburg didn't blink an eye despite being down 16 points, putting together a 20-4 run to close the period. The Knights shot 8-of-10 from the floor and held Coe to just 2-of-9 during the stretch, clawing all the way back to tie the game at 36 with 20 minutes played.
- The squads went back and forth in the first two minutes of the second period, exchanging points on both ends. Coe grabbed momentum in the second half first, putting together a strong 11-5 stretch to regain a solid lead a 54-47. Wartburg slowed the run momentarily, balancing the game with an 8-5 spurt which pulled the Knights back within four. The Kohawks then put their foot on the gas pedal, outscoring Wartburg 13-4 from the 9:12 mark to the 5:07 mark of the half. Hall and Schnurr led Coe on the run, scoring five and four points respectively while Schmitt and Sherry chipped in with two each.
- The Knights began to quickly chip away at the lead, outscoring Coe 15-2 in just under three minutes to tie the game at 74. Sherry then came up with a huge bucket, converting an old-fashioned 3-point play to restore Coe's lead at 77-74. Wartburg responded in the final minute of the game, cutting Coe's lead to just one on a layup before grabbing a one-point lead on another lay-in with 11 seconds to play. Coe came up with an impressive press break on the ensuing possession, quickly working the ball into the frontcourt before finding Schnurr who flushed with ease to put his team back in front. Wartburg had one final chance as time faded, pushing the ball into their offensive territory before misfiring on a potential game-winning 3.
Up next: The Kohawks will conclude the regular season this Saturday, February 18 at Kohawk Arena, hosting Nebraska Wesleyan at 4 PM.
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