The Tabor College men made an early exit from the 2015 NAIA Division II Men?s Basketball National Championship after losing to Morningside (Iowa) in the first round Thursday, 86-79, in Point Lookout, Mo.
Tabor led for nearly half the game, but the Mustangs benefitted from a hot second half of shooting to pull away for the win.
The Bluejays made a statement from the start as Andrew Thomas energized the crowd with a dunk just 18 seconds into the game, but three consecutive Morningside baskets put the Mustangs in front. Tabor trailed by as many as 13-6 before Lance Carter scored. Thomas dunked it a second time, and Dewayne Biggs drained a three-pointer that tied it at 13. Biggs scored Tabor?s next two baskets?both off of turnovers?and suddenly, Tabor held a four-point lead.
After the Mustangs tied it at 17, Tabor enjoyed a 7-0 run and led the duration of the first half. The Bluejays? largest margin was 30-22 after Thomas scored twice, but the Mustangs trimmed it to four by halftime, 34-30.
Tabor increased its lead to nine, 42-33, after JT Nemit and John Jedneak drained back-to-back three-pointers, but the Mustangs? top scorer, Steve O?Neill, contributed six points to an 8-0 run to draw within 42-41. Thomas scored once, then again, making his third dunk of the game to extend Tabor?s lead to 46-41. Counting those two baskets, Thomas scored 10 of Tabor?s next 13 points, reaching 20 points for the game with a basket that put the score at 55-51 with 10:19 to play.
Tabor led, 58-54, when Thomas scored at 8:38, but that was the Bluejays? last field goal over the next four minutes. Thomas drew a couple fouls and made all six free throws he attempted during that stretch, but the Mustangs used three three-pointers to outscore Tabor 15-6 and take the lead, 69-64, with 4:45 to play.
Malik Brooks fired back with a three, but the Mustangs hit two more threes in succession to extend their lead to 75-67 with 3:21 to go.
Biggs trimmed the margin to six with a basket, but a few critical Bluejay turnovers allowed Morningside to extend its lead to 78-69 with 1:31 left in the game. Brooks hit a trey, and coach Micah Ratzlaff called timeout. The Tabor defense forced a turnover, and Biggs scored to bring it to 78-74 at 1:11. The Mustangs missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Tabor could not secure the rebound, and with an open look inside, the Mustangs scored to increase their lead to six.
Biggs tossed in a pair of free throws for an 80-76 score with 46 seconds left, but after a Mustang turnover, Tabor could not capitalize. O?Neill made two free throws to widen the gap to 82-76, then Tabor missed a three-point attempt on its next two possessions. Morningside, meanwhile, added two more free throws and a basket that extended the margin to 10 and all but sealed the win. Biggs was fouled on a three-point shot with 5.6 seconds remaining and added the final three points from the charity stripe.
Tabor shot 45.8 percent from the field in the game (27-59). Thomas led all scorers with 28 points. Biggs added 22 and Brooks 12.
Morningside shot 50 percent for the game (32-64), including a sizzling 61.8 percent in the second half (21-34). The Mustangs shot 44 percent from beyond the arc (11-25), including 57.1 percent in the second half (8-14). Four Mustangs scored in double figures, led by O?Neill with 26, Tanner Miller with 15, Kyle Nikkel with 12 and Ryan Tegtmeier with 11.