SHERMAN, TEXAS – Nebraska Wesleyan overcame a halftime deficit and outscored Austin College by 27 points in the second half as the Prairie Wolves men's basketball team improved to 8-0 on the year with a 92-67 win over the Kangaroos on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 10).
 
NWU trailed 43-41 at halftime, but for the third straight game the Prairie Wolves used a huge second half to pull away for a win.  The Prairie Wolves shot 56.3 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes to outscore Austin 51-24.
 
Meanwhile, NWU held Austin to just 37.0 percent shooting in the second half, including 1-6 on 3-point attempts.  The 'Roos got to the free throw line only five times in the half, making 3-5 attempts.  NWU was 13-16 at the charity stripe in the second half and outscored Austin by 12 points on free throws.
 
In the first half, the lead changed hands six times with seven ties.  NWU held an eight point first half advantage, but the 'Roos battled back and took the lead into the locker room.
 
The Prairie Wolves finally began to pull away using a 12-2 run early in the second half to take a 64-54 lead after the game was tied at 52-52 at the 15:27 mark.  Austin was able to get back within seven points, but that was as close as they could get as the Prairie Wolves put together a 16-3 run during a six minute stretch to go up by 20 points to cruise in the end.
 
It was another balanced offensive attack for the Prairie Wolves as all five starters reached double figures in scoring.  NWU 48.5 percent from the field and ended the game with a 42-33 advantage of the glass.  They forced Austin into 20 turnovers, scoring 30 points off those turnovers.
 
Deion Wells-Ross led the way with 18 points, making 5-8 from the floor and 7-7 at the free throw line.  Wells-Ross also had six rebounds, four assists and a game-high four blocked shots.  Jack Hiller finished with 15 points and tied for the team-lead with seven rebounds.
 
Cooper Cook scored 14 points with two 3-pointers with Nate Bahe and Ryan Garver each scoring 13 points. Bahe led NWU with three steals to go along with his four assists and seven rebounds.  Garver led the team with six assists and also had six rebounds.
 
Kam Hogan scored 13 points with five assists to lead Austin College.
 
NWU will have a week off for final exams, then return to the court next Sunday to play a pair of games in the Washington D.C., area.