Storm set free throw record, beat Coe 79-69

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Simpson men's basketball team set a school record by going 28-for-29 from the free throw line and Sam Amsbaugh scored a game-high 30 points as the Storm beat Coe 79-69 on Wednesday.

Simpson went a perfect 18-for-18 from the charity stripe in the second half, shooting 96.6 percent for the game. The effort passed the previous mark of 95.5 percent (21-for-22) set against Central in 1999.

Conor Riordan added 18 points and Tyler Stumbo 11 to help the Storm (8-6, 4-2 Iowa Conference) hold on down the stretch for their fifth-straight win.

Coe (6-8, 2-3) trailed by 11 midway through the second half when TJ Kaufmann made the first of three straight 3-pointers as part of an 11-2 run. A tipin by Spencer Williams pulled Coe within 56-54 with 10:30 to play.

Riordan answered with a pair of short jumpers and Stumbo made a pair of free throws to push the lead back to eight and Simpson led by at least two possessions the rest of the way. Simpson scored 16 of its final 19 points from the free throw line, Taylor Filbert's 3 with 3:57 to play being the only shot made with the clock moving.

Kaufmann and Trevor Haaland scored 11 points apiece for Coe and Williams finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Storm used a 10-0 run in the first half to take the lead for good.

Trailing 25-21, Stumbo and Amsbaugh made back-to-back 3s. Riordan added a layin and Simpson led the rest of the way, taking a 35-31 lead into halftime and opening up an 11-point advantage with 13:39 to play.

Key Players
Sam Amsbaugh -- 30 points, 9 rebounds, 9-9 FT
Conor Riordan -- 18 points, 8-8 FT
Tyler Stumbo -- 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block

Game Notes
• Simpson has now won three straight games against the Kohawks in Cedar Rapids.
• Amsbaugh went 10-for-17 from the field and 9-for-9 at the line for the sixth 30-point game of his career, the most in Simpson history … he is just five rebounds from becoming the eighth member of Simpson's 1,000-point, 500-rebound club
• Simpson committed just seven turnovers, one away from tying its season-low.

Up Next
Saturday, Jan. 13 vs. #21 Wartburg