The Tabor College men's basketball game came into Thursday night's visit to Sterling with aspirations of catching the KCAC standings leaders, but were thrown for an 81-69 loss despite limiting the Warriors snipers to 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Sterling entered the night leading the conference in 3-point shooting percentage, but the only player on either team to find the range from beyond the arc was Zack Vanselow, who netted three of three shots from distance and finished with 30 points.
Aaron Whitelaw scored15 points for Tabor, but left the game with an apparent leg injury after a hard fall with 33 seconds left in the contest.
The Bluejays allowed 22 points off turnovers and had difficulty limiting Sterling's ability to attack the rack. The Warriors shot 51 percent from the field and earned 21 foul shots.
Tabor led 12-6 out of the gate, but Sterling knotted it at 12-all on its way to a 23-16 lead. The Warriors led 37-28 at halftime, and did not trail after the intermission.
Whitelaw lifted the Bluejays within 45-41 with a pair of foul shots 3:10 into the second half, but Sterling ran off a 16-4 jaunt capped with a 2-handed dunk by Randy July for a 61-46 difference with 9:13 remaining.
Damon Dechant turned in a 12-points, 14 rebounds double-double, but Tabor could not overcome 20 turnovers.
The women's team had a much tougher night, as Sterling doubled-up the Bluejays 75-36 on the strength of 21 points by Megan Patrick.
Tabor hosts Ottawa at 5/7 p.m. Saturday.
