Storm men earn key league win at Coe

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – DJ Dafney had a double-double, Austin Turner scored a career-high 17 points and the Simpson men's basketball team won in Cedar Rapids for the first time in seven tries, beating Coe 69-63 on Saturday.

Dafney had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Dillon Gretzky added 10 points and nine rebounds as the Storm (8-5, 1-1 Iowa Conference) snapped a six-game losing streak in the series, beating Coe on the road for the first time since 2009.

Matt Vonderhaar scored 24 points and Maat Haaland added 12 for the Kohawks (5-8, 0-2), who lost their fifth straight.

Turner hit the go-ahead 3 to make it 40-38 early in the second half and the Storm never looked back. Ryan Skaar – who had eight of his 10 points in the second half – added a 3 and a layup by Leif Olson extended Simpson's lead to 45-38.

Simpson led by as much as 13 in the second half before Coe made a late run. Back-to-back 3s by Haaland and Lincoln Vorba pulled the Kohawks within 60-55 with 3:36 left, but Skaar responded with a clutch 3 from the right wing. Vorba made another 3 but Simpson answered again as Dafney slashed to the hoop for a layup.

The Storm made 4 of 6 free throws down the stretch to close it out.

Simpson trailed by eight in the first half but closed on a 13-5 run. Sam Amsbaugh had 3-pointer and three-point play during the charge, which gave the Storm a 37-35 lead at the break.

Amsbaugh finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.

Up next: Simpson hosts Loras in the IIAC home opener Wednesday, Jan. 13. The Duhawks (7-6, 2-0) beat Buena Vista 82-76 on Saturday.