It was another spirited comeback for the Central College women’s basketball team and another crushing defeat Wednesday. Nebraska Wesleyan’s Klaire Phillips hit a baseline layup with 5 seconds left to hold off the Dutch, 63-61. It was a second-straight home-court disappointment for Central, which dropped a 76-71 overtime decision to Coe College last Wednesday.

No. 2-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan University ran off 17 unanswered points and outscored the Central College men’s basketball team 95-70 Wednesday night. it was a wire-to-wire win for the Prairie Wolves (19-1 overall, 10-1 American Rivers). Central used a six-point burst to climb within 31-29 with 6:29 left in the first half but Nebraska Wesleyan closed with a 15-0 run for a 46-29 halftime advantage and added the first bucket of the second half as well.

Central faces a pair of long road trips, traveling to the University of Dubuque Saturday and Buena Vista University next Wednesday for women’s-men’s league doubleheaders. Saturday’s women’s game starts at 2 p.m. The Dutch topped Dubuque 72-66 at Pella Jan. 2.  A broadcast of Saturday’s games can be heard with Cory Houser via KRLS-FM (92.1) and www.kniakrls.com.