Box Score CHICAGO, Ill.  – 8^th-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan bounced back after suffering their first loss of the 2019-20 season to hold off University of Chicago 81-79 in the consolation game of the Midway Classic on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 24) in Chicago, Ill.
 
NWU (5-1) led by as many as 12 points early in the 2^nd half but the Maroons (1-4) came all the way back and eventually tied the game at 68-68 with 6:11 left.  Chicago took the lead twice, the last time at 74-72 with 4:14 remaining.
 
Nate Schimonitz hit a jump shot to tie the game on the next possession.  Neither team would score the next 1:30 until Dylan Dirks made a pair of free throws with 2:18 left to give NWU the lead.  That would remain the score the next two minutes. 
 
Chicago had three shot attempts to tie the game, but were unable to convert any of them.  Finally Jack Hiller pulled down the rebound and was fouled where he went to the line and made a pair of free throws to make it a two possession game.  The Maroons cut the lead in half with a basket at the other end with 23 seconds left.  Hiller was fouled on the in-bounds pass and went 2-2 at the line again.  Nate Schimonitz hit 1-2 free throws in the final seconds, then Chicago made a half court shot at the buzzer to make the score 81-79.
 
The Maroons led by seven points in the first half making five of their first ten 3-point attempts forcing the Prairie Wolves to switch out of the zone defense.  The adjustment worked and NWU was able to string together baskets ending the half with a 45-38 lead by shooting over 58 percent from the field.
 
NWU made 11-28 from 3-point land for the game and shot exactly 50 percent overall as a team.  Chicago finished with 14 made 3-pointers, one day after NWU allowed St. Thomas to hit 19 from beyond the arc.  The Prairie Wolves also finished with 13 turnovers, compared to only six by the Maroons.
 
Two players scored over 20 points to lead the Prairie Wolves attack.  Nate Schimonitz scored 26 points on 11-20 shooting, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds.  Jack Hiller did end with a double-double scoring 24 points with 10 rebounds.  Hiller made five 3-pointers in the game and was 5-6 at the free throw line.  Also scoring in double figures was Nate Bahe who had 17 points. Bahe was 3-6 from 3-point land and 4-4 at the free throw line.
 
Cole Schmitz led Chicago with 18 points.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan will now return to Lincoln and prepare for the 31^st Annual Snyder Classic over Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 29-30).