Warriors Blaze Past Beavers with Balanced Attack in Home Opener

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University hosted Buena Vista University for its home opener on Saturday afternoon at the Wikert Event Center, securing a 96-63 victory over the Beavers with a balanced offensive attack.

Trey McCain and Ryan Larsen got the Warriors on the board with a quick 4-0 run. The Beavers responded with back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 6-6. Jeff Rozelle III then sparked a 14-5 run, putting the Warriors up by double digits and prompting Buena Vista to call a timeout with the score at 20-11. After the timeout, Buena Vista broke their scoring drought with two consecutive threes, but Luke Gdowski answered with back-to-back threes of his own, igniting a 14-0 run that extended Midland's lead to 36-17 with under eight minutes left in the half. The Beavers ended their slump at the free-throw line, sinking four shots, but Midland's Noah Futch quickly responded with consecutive baskets, helping the Warriors to a 5-2 run. As the half wound down, Buena Vista mounted a 12-6 run, but Midland held a solid lead at 49-35.

In the second half, Larsen opened with a three-pointer, which the Beavers promptly matched. Following a layup from Larsen, Gdowski intercepted a pass and finished with a dunk, energizing the Warriors. Midland then went on a 16-8 run, stretching the lead to 71-46 and prompting another timeout from Buena Vista. After the break, Isaiah Smith and Jack Cooper led an 8-0 run for Midland. Both teams traded baskets as the clock wound down, and with 2:40 remaining, Midland called a timeout. Following the break, Noah Futch and Nick Dolezal sealed the win with a final 7-0 run, securing the 96-63 victory for Midland.

Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by Luke Gdowski's double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. McCain contributed 14 points, Larsen added 11, and Futch finished with 10. Rozelle III was close behind with 9 points, and Orr chipped in 7 points along with 9 rebounds.

Midland shot an impressive 38-of-68 (55.9%) from the field, compared to Buena Vista's 22-of-64 (34.4%). The Warriors excelled from beyond the arc, shooting 53.3%, and converting 70.6% of their free throws. They also dominated the boards, out-rebounding Buena Vista 42-28, and capitalized on 24 points off the Beavers' turnovers.

"A really good team win. BVU runs some good actions, and they can be really tough to guard," commented head coach Tyler Erwin. "They're well-coached. We had a lot of guys play quality minutes and produce. Our depth has been key for us, especially in practices. Luke Gdowski and Jake Orr give us the flexibility to play with various lineups. They're productive offensively and two of our best defenders and rebounders. Our energy from the bench was great tonight. Jack Cooper, Isaiah Smith, Noah Futch, and Rece Kissinger all contributed well."

Midland (2-0) will have a quick turnaround as they host Union Adventist (1-1) on Monday, November 4. The non-conference game is set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. at the Wikert Event Center in Fremont.