LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Wesleyan's quest for an American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) championship came up just short on Saturday night, as the Prairie Wolves fell to Central College 68-57 in a hard-fought battle at Snyder Arena. Despite a strong start, NWU couldn't overcome Central's second-half surge, ending their championship hopes in front of a home crowd of 1,300.

The loss drops Nebraska Wesleyan to 20-7 overall (12-4 A-R-C), while Central improves to 17-11 (9-7 A-R-C) and secures the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. 

How It Happened

Nebraska Wesleyan came out strong in the first half, feeding off the energy of the home crowd. Senior forward Jack Groeteke got things started with a strong attack to the rim, and senior forward Jack Groeteke followed with a tough finishe at the rim to keep the Prairie Wolves with Central. The Dutch responded with a couple of threes, but NWU's Christian Winn answered with a deep ball of his own to push the Prairie Wolves ahead, 12-11.

The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading runs. NWU's bench provided a spark, as Andrew Brewer came in and immediately made an impact, scoring 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbing six rebounds. His energy kept the Prairie Wolves in the game, and a last-second tip-in by Brewer sent the teams into halftime tied at 37-37.

The second half, however, was a different story. Central came out of the break scoring, and NWU struggled to find its rhythm offensively. The Prairie Wolves shot just 8-of-34 (23.5%) from the field in the second half, including 4-of-21 from beyond the arc. Despite the struggles, NWU fought to stay in the game. Seth Newton hit a clutch three-pointer with just under two minutes remaining to cut the deficit to 63-52, but Central responded by hitting their free throws down the stretch to seal the game.

Key Performances

• Andrew Brewer led the way for NWU with 12 points and six rebounds off the bench, providing a much-needed spark in the first half.
• Seth Newton and Conner Brown each added 11 points, with Newton also contributing nine rebounds and a steal.
• Carter Glenn chipped in eight points and three assists. 
• Christian Winn finished with eight points, and two steals.

Game Notes

• NWU shot just 36.4% (24-of-66) from the field and 22.6% (7-of-31) from three-point range.
• The Prairie Wolves were outrebounded 43-31.
• NWU's bench outscored Central's 15-14.

Up Next

Nebraska Wesleyan's season has come to an end.

The 2024-25 Men's and Women's basketball seasons are presented by TeamMates Mentoring. For more information, visit TeamMates Mentoring.