Withstanding a second-half charge by Dubuque, the Central men’s basketball team prevailed over the Spartans on Saturday, 85 – 78, in a game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.
The Dutch raced out to a 21 – 9 advantage in the first half, and led by as much as 15 points before going to the locker room leading by eight. Dubuque used three-point shooting in the second half to stay within arm’s length of Central, but the Dutch hit just enough key shots and a jittery amount of free throws to hold on for the win. After the game, Coach Craig Douma said it was a total team win this late in the season.
Malik Wildermuth led all Dutch scorers with 19 points, Kyle Smith put in 16, and Luke Posivio added a dozen off the bench. Central’s men are now 6 – 6 in conference play.
Central’s women got off to a rapid start offensively, but couldn’t find their offensive rhythm the rest of the game, as they dropped a 79 – 62 decision to the Spartans. The Lady Dutch had a 24 – 19 first quarter lead, and began the second leading 27 – 19, but fouls on Jackie Kriegel and Kendall Brown, plus costly turnovers led to Dubuque taking a 41 – 38 lead at intermission, one that they would not relinquish.
Tina Lane came up huge for Central off the bench, scoring 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds, and Kriegel contributed another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Central’s women fall to 2 – 10 in conference play. Both Central teams will have a short jaunt for their next game on Wednesday, when they face Simpson in Indianola.