LINCOLN, Neb. -- A 23-4 run over the final 4:07 of the game gave Nebraska Wesleyan their second upset of a nationally-ranked opponent this season as the Prairie Wolves stormed back to defeat #18 Briar Cliff 89-83 in GPAC men's basketball.

NWU trailed 79-66 with 4:16 remaining and things looked bleak for the home team.  From there, Trey Bardsley scored 14 points, with two 3-pointers and a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line to give the Prairie Wolves the miraculous upset win.

Bardsley knocked in a 3-pointer with 4:07 left to cut the lead to 10 points, then Nick Stine hit a fast break 3-pointer in the corner to make the score 79-72 with 3:40 left.  On the next NWU possession, Bardsley knocked down another 3-pointer to pull within four points.  The Prairie Wolves defense recorded two more stops and Travis Giesselmann got a strong layup to make the score 79-77 with 2:27 remaining.  Another stop by NWU gave the Prairie Wolves the ball and Bardsley got the rebound off his own miss and found an opening to tie the game with a layup.

BCU missed a 3-pointer at the other end and Travis Giesselemann took a lob pass from Byron Thompson to give NWU their first lead since the opening five minutes of the game at 81-79 with 1:00 left. 

On the next Briar Cliff possession, Giesselmann stripped the ball from Clay Harreld and dove on the ground for the loose ball calling a timeout.  A technical foul was assessed to the BCU bench sending Bardsley for the line for two free throws.  Byron Thompson added two more free throws to put NWU up 85-79 with 0:24 left and that sealed the win.

It was another huge day for Nebraska Wesleyan's Trey Bardsley.  He finished with 40 points, the second time he has cracked 40 this year.  Bardsley was 5-12 from 3-point land a perfect 9-9 at the free throw line.

NWU finished the game with nine 3-pointers after hitting just 2-13 in the first half.  The Prairie Wolves were 14-16 at the free throw line and shot 49.3 from the field for the game. 

Keithan Karn was the other NWU player in double figures as he came off the bench to score 15 points.

Briar Cliff shot 55.9 percent from the floor but made just one basket in the final four minutes.  The Chargers top two scorers came off the bench as Zach Otting scored 23 and Clay Harreld had 15.

NWU will be back at home on Wednesday night to face Hastings College in a key GPAC contest.