Spicer ties career-high as Tigers drop GPAC contest to Northwestern

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Down by eight points with five minutes left in the game, the No. 19 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team looked poised to make a run as they did many times throughout the game. However, No. 10 Northwestern College was able to hold off any run as DWU fell 95-86 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Wednesday night in Orange City, Iowa.

 The Tigers (15-6, 5-4 GPAC) jumped out to a quick 15-8 lead early in the game thanks to three 3-pointers nailed in a row by Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.).

 The Red Raiders (17-2, 7-2 GPAC) went on a run midway through the first half as they jumped out to a 29-21 lead.

 DWU was able to weather the storm as Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) scored seven straight points to close the half as the Tigers trailed, 45-40.

 Nygel Drury (Madison, Wis.) found the bottom of the net with a 3-pointer followed by another 3-pointer by Kramer to cut the deficit to 47-46 early in the second half.

 After NWC extended their lead to nine points moment later, the Tigers were able to string together a run and make it a two-point game.

 It was a back-and-forth affair for most of the second half until the Red Raiders were able to gain a double-digit lead with under five minutes left to down the Tigers.

 Spicer tied his career-high in points with 31 and added seven assists and four rebounds. Drury tallied 20 points, while Kramer finished with 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range. The Tigers shot 48 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the arc in the contest.

 The Tigers take the floor next in another GPAC battle against Midland University at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.