After surging to a 13-point first-half lead, the Central College men's basketball team was staggered by a devasting 35-2 Buena Vista University run in a deflating 108-78 road loss Wednesday night.
           
The Dutch (7-15 overall, 4-9 American Rivers) were surging early, racing to a 40-26 lead with 6:06 left in the first half. Buena Vista's shooting touch from long range heated up but Central was still up 49-42 with 2:29 remaining before the Beavers (10-13 overall, 4-10 conference) scored the final nine points of the half, getting a buzzer-beating steal and layup for a 51-49 halftime lead. The lengthy dry spell continued in the second half, as Buena Vista poured in 26 of the next 28 points to break it open, 77-51 with 12:59 left in the game. Central went more than 13 minutes with just one field goal.
           
Meanwhile, Buena Vista continued to sizzle, shooting a scorching 62.9 percent from the field in the second half and 56.2 percent for the night. The Beavers outrebounded Central 37-34 and their guard-heavy lineup forced 23 Dutch turnovers while committing just five.
           
"We didn't take care of the ball," coach Craig Douma said. "They got the loose balls and shot lights out. In the second half, we played as individuals and didn't play as a team."
           
That was a turnaround from the opening 15 minutes.
           
"We were moving the ball well and finding the open man," Douma said. "And we were shooting very well. But then we just started settling for threes."
           
After drilling 13 of 24 first-half 3-point tries (54.2 percent), Central was 5-19 (26.3 percent) after the break.
           
Forward Seth Wood (junior, Branson, Mo.) hit five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth statistical double-double of the season. Guard Jaden Moody (junior, Cambridge, Ballard HS) had 14 points and six boards while guard Jamel McKnight (senior, Austin, Texas, Hendrickson HS) had 12 points and seven assists and guard Shimar Jones (senior, Marshall, Texas) added 11 points and eight assists.
           
Central, which had defeated Buena Vista 77-73 at Pella Jan. 19, remains in seventh place in the league standings with its hopes slipping for a berth in the six-team league tourney. The Dutch trail the sixth-place University of Dubuque by two games in the league standings with three games remaining.  
           
But Central is home for two of the regular-season's final three games, starting Saturday against Luther College. It's a women's-men's league doubleheader with the men's game starting at 4 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. Luther is 7-14 overall and 1-12 in the league after suffering a 87-79 defeat against rival Wartburg College at Decorah Wednesday. Central escaped the Norse 83-81 at Decorah Jan. 12.
           
"We've got to figure out how to put together 40 minutes of basketball," Douma said.
           
The games will be broadcast on KRLS-FM (92.1) with Cory Houser and can also be accessed via www.kniakrls.com. Live stats and a video webcast of Wednesday's games will be available through athletics.central.edu.