KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Protection was the story of the night time because the No. 1 seed Langston College defeated No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan 61-48 within the 86th Annual NAIA Males’s Basketball Nationwide Championship Quarterfinal Spherical on Saturday night time at Municipal Auditorium. The Lions advance to the NAIA Fab 4 for the primary time in program historical past.
The Wildcats (29-6) entered their quarterfinal matchup boasting 4 gamers that averaged double figures in Javan Buchanan (20.5 ppg), Nathan Childress (14.5 ppg), Griffin Kliewer (14.5 ppg) and Caedmon Bontrager (13.9 ppg) whereas averaging 90.5 factors per recreation as crew. Nonetheless, the Lion’s patented protection was on the show from the outset as they held the Wildcats to 33 % (10-of-30) capturing within the first half whereas constructing a 37-25 halftime lead.
The defensive depth continued within the second half as Langston College held Indiana Wesleyan to 34 % (eight-of-23) after halftime. The Lions held the quartet of double-digit scorers from Indiana Wesleyan to a mixed 12-of-41 which included a one-for-eight mark from three-point vary.
“They’re an amazing offensive crew and for us to disrupt what they needed to do I assumed was actually spectacular,” head coach Chris Wright mentioned. “I’m pleased with our guys, I assumed they adopted the sport plan extraordinarily effectively. We have been locked in and to try this to a crew that averages over 90 factors a recreation says quite a bit in regards to the character of our guys.”
“Our id is protection and rebounding,” senior ahead Cortez Mosley mentioned. “We simply knew if we defended and rebounded, we might be okay. We simply satisfaction ourselves on our protection and being the more durable crew as a result of on the finish of the day the more durable crew wins.”
Langston College constructed a 15-point lead at 49-34 on the 9:32 mark following a three-pointer by G’Quavious Lennox and free throws from Majok Kuath. The Lions led by as a lot as 17 within the second half, sealing the quarterfinal victory at 61-48.
Mosley led Langston in scoring with 15 factors on five-of-12 capturing with six boards; Anthony Roy added 13 on five-of-13 capturing together with three three-pointers. On the night time the Lions hit 37 % (20-of-53) general and completed 16-of-21 from three throw line whereas holding IWU to 34 % (18-of-53) general and three-of-12 from three-point vary.
Langston held Indiana Wesleyan to the bottom level complete of the season with 48 factors. Their earlier low was 71 factors again on January thirty first versus Grace (Ind.).
Wright mentioned getting the Langston College males’s basketball program up to now is a part of the imaginative and prescient that was established when he was employed in April 2022.
“It’s very humbling, when (former Langston College president) Dr. (Kent J.) Smith, (Langston College Director of Athletics) Donnita Rogers and the senior management employed me this was their imaginative and prescient,” Wright famous. “So many individuals deserve the credit score for this however it’s very humbling to be part of. I really feel tremendously blessed to have the ability to get our program up to now.”
The Lions enhance to 34-1 general and advances to the NAIA Fab 4 on Monday night time, March 25, in Municipal Auditorium. Langston squares off towards the School of Idaho Yotes (32-3) who superior to the Fab 4 by means of defeating Morningside 73-56 on Saturday night time.
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