JACKSONVILLE, Ill.  – Year three of the Dale Wellman era got off to a racing start as the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves ran past MacMurray College 120-85 on Friday night (Nov. 18) on day one of the Bill Merris Tournament in Jacksonville, Ill.
 
NWU advances to the championship game on Saturday where they face the winner of Illinois College-Concordia Chicago at 4 pm.
 
The Prairie Wolves led by 13 points at halftime, 58-45, then built up a lead as large as 37 points in the second half.  MacMurray, who was the Co-Champions of the SLIAC one year ago, committed 30 turnovers against the full court Prairie Wolves press.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan, starting three freshmen in the season opener, used a fierce full court press to record 20 steals and score 32 points off those Highlander turnovers.  Coach Wellman had 14 different players score in the 120 point outburst.  The 120 points equals the highest scoring output during the Wellman era.
 
Freshman Nate Schimonitz was very impressive in his debut in a Prairie Wolves uniform.  Starting at point guard, Schimonitz led the way with 20 points on 7-7 shooting from the floor.  He was 2-2 from 3-point range and 4-5 at the free throw line.  Schimonitz just missed a double-double with nine assists to go along with five rebounds and three steals.
 
Three other Nebraska Wesleyan players scored in double figures in the season opening win.  Fellow freshman Jack Hiller had 15 points, making 4-8 from 3-point range and 3-4 at the free throw line.  Cooper Cook made his first four 3-pointers of the game to finish with 14 points.  Ryan Garver came off the bench to score 10 points with three steals.
 
Another freshman making his debut in the starting lineup, Dylan Dirks, was a defensive force with seven steals to go along with eight points.  Newcomer Deion Wells-Ross came off the bench to pull down 10 rebounds in his first game.
 
NWU shot 49.4 percent from the floor and 45.2 percent from long distance.  The Prairie Wolves were 19-42 from 3-point range, making 10 in the first half and nine in the second half from beyond the arc.
 
MacMurray falls to 0-2 to open the season.  The Highlanders lost by just six points to the 18^th-ranked team in NCAA III to begin the year.  Preseason All-American Brent Long led MacMurray with 15 points.