PLATTEVILLE, Wisc. — The Coe College men's basketball team stayed perfect to start the 2025-26 season with a non-conference victory Saturday afternoon, defeating the UW-Superior Yellowjackets 73-69 to end the Gabe Miller Classic. The Kohawks were forced to play from behind after a strong opening half from UW-Superior as the Yellowjackets took a 41-35 lead into the break. Coe shot 48 percent in the first 20 minutes but saw UWS convert 17-of-30 first-half field goals to grab the lead. The Kohawks quickly got back into the game in the second half, scoring the first six points of the period to level the score at 41. Superior reestablished a 10-point lead with a run across the next phase of play, pulling away again with a 55-45 advantage. The Kohawks traded buckets with the Yellowjackets over the next stretch of action, getting within eight of the lead at the seven-minute mark. Coe ripped off a big run, started by a 3 from
Ryan Dolphin as the Kohawks scored nine of the next 10 points to make it 63 apiece with 4:27 to play. The final few minutes were back-and-forth but Coe took the lead for good after three-straight points from
Cooper Nailor, putting the Kohawks up 70-67 with 1:11 to play. Superior continued to press to find an answer but a missed 3 with six seconds to play sealed the deal as
Jackson Bowman pulled down the rebound and knocked down one free throw to end the scoring at 73-69.
GAME FACTS
COE 73 - UW-SUPERIOR 69
- Coe opened well, scoring six straight points after the Yellowjackets started the game with a 4-0 run. The rest of the half was back-and-forth, with Superior maintaining a multi-possession lead for most of the period. The Yellowjackets pushed the lead to 12 with 6:07 left in the half but a strong close from the Kohawks made it a six-point lead at the break. Six straight points from the Kohawks quickly eliminated the lead in the second half as Walters scored five of the points to level the game at 41. Superior controlled the next phase, regaining a substantial lead at 55-45 with a 14-4 stretch. The Yellowjackets maintained the lead until late in the half, leading 62-54 with 6:52 to play. Dolphin hit a big 3 to start Coe's comeback, sparking a 9-1 run that was capped off by layups from Kanyon Bryte and Nailor. Coe took its first lead since early in the first half with back-to-back buckets from Nailor and Bryte, going up 67-65 with 2:24 to play. Superior leveled the game with a pair of free throws but Nailor came up clutch again, scoring five-straight points to establish Coe's three-point advantage. Superior missed a layup in the paint to make it a one-point game but grabbed the offensive rebound to have another shot. The Yellowjackets had a chance to tie the game but a missed 3 fell to Bowman who secured the rebound and converted 1-of-2 free throws to put the game on ice.
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