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Nebraska Wesleyan EDU
Carter Glenn
62
Franklin Frank 0-1,0-0 HCAC
65
Winner Neb. Wesleyan NWU 2-1,0-0 American Rivers
Franklin Frank
0-1,0-0 HCAC
62
Final
65
Neb. Wesleyan NWU
2-1,0-0 American Rivers
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Franklin Frank 26 36 62
Neb. Wesleyan NWU 35 30 65

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Nebraska Wesleyan Men's Basketball Earns Gritty Win Over Franklin College, 65-62

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Nebraska Wesleyan men's basketball made a statement, earning a 65-62 victory over Franklin College in a non-conference matchup on Friday evening in the first round of the Bill Merris Tournament hosted by Illinois College. The win marked the Prairie Wolves' first meeting with a Grizzlies team coached by Chris Hamilton, a former assistant under NWU head coach Dale Wellman.

How it Happened:

The Prairie Wolves got on the board early with a jump hook from senior Jack Groeteke, setting the tone for a first half dominated by NWU's disciplined zone defense and ball movement. A quick 11-0 run, capped by senior forward Conner Brown's steal and dunk, gave NWU an early 28-17 advantage. Franklin responded with a pair of buckets, trimming the deficit to ten just before the break.

Late in the first half, a key sequence saw junior Seth Newton drop a dime to Nick Howard for a dunk. Nebraska Wesleyan closed the half to take a 36-24 lead into the locker room.

Franklin came out firing in the second half, including a deep three that brought the Grizzlies within six with 12:08 left to play. Nebraska Wesleyan weathered the storm, leaning on its depth to keep fresh legs on the court. Junior Nick Howard ignited the NWU crowd with a transition pull-up jumper, following a steal from Jared Townsley. Howard controlled the paint with key rebounds and putbacks.

In the game's final minutes, Franklin cut the lead to a single possession. However, the Prairie Wolves were able to hold off the run and secure the win, 65-62

Inside the Numbers:

  • Nebraska Wesleyan shot 41.1% from the floor (23-for-56) and 36.8% from beyond the arc (7-for-19).
  • Christian Winn tallied 9 points, three assists, and a steal.
  • Carter Glenn added 10 points, hitting 2-of-4 free throws.
  • The Prairie Wolves capitalized on turnovers, scoring 13 points off Franklin's 11 giveaways.
  • Franklin was led by Cooper Matthews, who finished with 19 points and two rebounds.

For the Record:

  • Head coach Dale Wellman is now 9-2 in matchups against his former NWU assistants.

Up Next:

The Prairie Wolves will face the host Illinois College on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3:00 p.m. in the championship of the Bill Merris Tournament.

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