Winning streak ends with loss to Nebraska Wesleyan

INDIANOLA, Iowa — Simpson's longest winning streak in 13 seasons has come to an end.

Jack Hiller scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half and Nebraska Wesleyan beat the Simpson men's basketball team 92-81 on Wednesday, ending the Storm's winning streak at five games.

Cooper Cook scored all 12 of his points after halftime as the Prairie Wolves (8-3, 2-1) shot better than 53 percent from the field in the deciding second half. Nebraska Wesleyan outscored Simpson 54-42 in the final frame after trailing at halftime.

Ryan Skaar tied a career-high with 20 points before fouling out in the closing seconds. He did most of his damage in the first half, scoring 13 points on 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc, helping the Storm (9-3, 2-1) build a nine-point lead. He finished with four 3s.

The Prairie Wolves trimmed the lead to 39-38 at halftime and used a Hiller 3 to spark a 14-4 run early in the second. Hiller scored nine points during the stretch, which ended with his tip-in off a miss and Wesleyan holding a 59-50 lead with 11:31 left.

Simpson pulled within four on a 3 by Jamie Montgomery but couldn't get any closer the rest of the way as Nebraska Wesleyan won its fifth straight in the series.

DJ Dafney had 15-point, 15-rebound double-double and Sam Amsbaugh finished with 14 and nine boards. 

With the loss, the Storm fall into a four-way tie for first in the IIAC standings. Of the nine teams in the league, eight have two wins. 

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Simpson goes to Loras on Saturday. The hottest team in the league, the Duhawks (9-4, 2-2) knocked off No. 19 Wartburg 84-75 on Wednesday to win their sixth straight.