Minneapolis Lions were up in Beloit tonight to face the Trojans in a league matchup. Both teams came into the game with a 3-1 record in NCAA play.
Beloit jumped out to an early 8-4 lead behind five points from Sophomore Carson Cox. The Lions would close the gap before the end of the first quarter, but trailed by three, 12-9, going into the second.
Senior Trent Brubaker led the way in the second for Minneapolis. Brubaker scored all six of his points during a 9-2 run for the Lions that gave them the lead, 18-17, midway through the quarter. Minneapolis would get two 3-pointers, one each from Freshman Trent Moeckel and Junior Kaden McCullick, before the break, as the game was tied at 27 at the half.
The game was still tied at 33 all with 3:30 minutes to go in the third quarter. Beloit would, then, go on a 10-0 run before the fourth to capture their largest lead of the game at that point. McCullick hit two free throws right before the end of the third to make it an eight point deficit, 43-35, heading into the final period.
Beloit continued to outpace the Lions in the fourth behind two 3-pointers from Cox, who finished with a game high 17 points. The Trojans outscored the Lions, 13-5, to win the game by a final, 56-40.
Minneapolis was led by nine points from Moeckel. Brubaker and Senior TreVaughn Thomas both had six points. Freshman Spencer Davidson, the Salina Ortho Player of the Game, had six points and eight rebounds off the bench tonight.
Senior Dawson Cooper joined Cox in double figures for Beloit with 10. Junior Colin Chandler and Sophomore Vincent Palen each had six for the Trojans.
Minneapolis is now 3-6 overall and 3-2 in league play. They face Russell tomorrow afternoon at home in a league game before participating in the tournament at Halstead next week.
Lady Lions Fell Short At Beloit
Senior Sydney Johnson dropped 30 points for Beloit as the Minneapolis Lions ended up on the losing side of a hard fought battle on the road, 47-37.
Junior Caroline Giles received her first start of the season, after Sophomore Zoie Shupe suffered a season-ending injury early this week. Giles made her impact on the game. The junior finished with four points, six rebounds and three steals to be awarded the Salina Ortho Player of the Game.
Sophomore Kersti Nelson was the one to get the scoring going for Minneapolis in the first half. Nelson hit two 3-pointers in the half, including all four of the Lions’ points in the second quarter.
Senior Faythe Korinek picked up the load on offense in the third quarter, scoring five of her seven points in the period. Junior Karisma Vignery led the way in the fourth, hitting two 3-pointers on her way to scoring eight of her team-high 12 points.
The difference in the game was in the second quarter when Beloit outscored Minneapolis, 10-4. Beloit had the 10 point lead at the half and the margin was the same at the end.
Nelson joined Vignery in double figures for the Lions with a season-high 11 points.
Besides Johnson’s 30 for Beloit, the Trojans had eight points from Sophomore Shea Larson and six from Sophomore Jessica Meier.
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