Second half surge powers Reivers past T-Birds

Council Bluffs, IA -- After being knocked down Wednesday night against Southeastern, the Reivers; still wobbly, collected themselves off the canvas and responded with an important season stabilizing victory over a quality Kansas Jayhawk Conference foe in Cloud County with a determined 82-72 win at Reiver Arena. The Reivers pulled off the season sweep with the visiting Thunderbirds with almost mirror scores. Iowa Western beat Cloud County 82-70 back on November 24th in Concordia, KS; and then turned in the aforementioned similar 82-72 victory Saturday evening (2/2/19).

In the series second and most recent contest, the Reivers led most of the game's first frame, though only by one or two possessions throughout. Try as Iowa Western may to extend the lead, the Thunderbirds hung around with timely hoops and when Gabe Pieschl threw in a half court heave at the halftime buzzer the visiting team took a three point lead and the momentum into the locker room. Following halftime, the Thunderbirds began to control much of the second half, just as the Reivers had controlled most of the first half; grabbing it's largest lead of the contest at 7 points with 9:46 left to play. Following an Iowa Western timeout, perhaps the most important 4 minutes of basketball this season began to be played out; as the Reivers once again went to work on an opponent's lead. Showing a determination that they have showed much of this season late in games, Iowa Western went on a crucial 12-4 run to slide by Cloud County with 5:17 to play. Down the stretch several Reivers made key plays to gain a 5 point advantage with 1:48 to play.

Then the game turned crazy. After Cloud's Jacob Shields was called for a foul on Christian Bently late in the shot clock, sending Bentely to the line up 5 with 2 shots coming at the 1:48 mark; Shields' protest received a technical foul, followed by two more technical fouls called on Cloud County's Head Coach Jordan Altman, followed then again by another technical on Shields.  After all of those events, Travon Broadway stepped to the line and made 7 of the 8 technical shots and Bentely followed up by making his 2 initial foul shots.  By the time Cloud County received the ball back on offense the previous 9 point Iowa Western possession effectively concluded the competitive aspect of the affair.

Travon Broadway led all scorers with 28 points, while Emmanuel Ugboh (20 points) and Caleb Huffman (10 points) rounded off the double figure scorers for the Reivers. Ugboh and Broadway collected impressive double-double performances; Ugboh hauling in 13 rebounds for his 20 point - 13 rebound evening, while Broadway collected his first double-double of the season with his 28 point - 10 rebound effort.

With the win, Iowa Western moves to 19-5 on the season and will conclude their mini 4 game homestand this upcoming Tuesday evening (2/5/19) when the take on Central (NE). Tip time between the Reivers and Raiders is slated for 6:00pm from Reiver Arena.