LINCOLN, Neb. (November 30, 2024) – Nebraska Wesleyan men's basketball delivered a thrilling 76-70 double-overtime victory over Concordia-Moorhead on Saturday night to close out the 35th Annual Snyder Classic in style. With the win, the Prairie Wolves went 2-0 in the tournament they hosted at Snyder Arena, marking an electrifying end to the Thanksgiving weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The battle between Nebraska Wesleyan and Concordia-Moorhead had all the makings of an instant classic. The Prairie Wolves found themselves trailing 56-48 with 2:32 left second half but clawed their way back with relentless defense and clutch shooting. A critical three-pointer from Carter Glenn made it 54-58 with :45 remaining. After a Concordia-Moorhead bucket, Glenn kept his composure, sinking two free throws to pull the Prairie Wolves within one.

With five seconds remaining and NWU still trailing by three, Glenn once again rose to the occasion. After drawing a foul, he calmly sank the first free throw. Following Head Coach Dale Wellman's strategic orders, Glenn purposely missed the second free throw off the right side, leaped into the bodies, and snagged his own rebound mid-air. As he attempted a put-back shot, he was fouled again, stepping to the line with the game on the line. Glenn coolly knocked down both free throws, tying the game at 58 and electrifying the Snyder Arena crowd.

The first overtime period saw both teams trade blows, with neither able to gain more than a two-point edge. Concordia-Moorhead's defense tightened, but NWU's Nick Howard hit a beautiful cutting layup, assisted by Andrew Brewer to keep the Prairie Wolves alive. The period ended tied at 63, sending the game into a second overtime.

In the final frame, the Prairie Wolves' defense stifled the Cobbers, holding them to just seven points while Glenn and Conner Brown took over offensively. Brown had ten points in the second overtime and put the game away with back-to-back free throws.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Points in the Paint: NWU narrowly edged Concordia-Moorhead 36-32 in the lane.
• Rebounds: Concordia-Moorhead dominated the boards with a 52-43 advantage, but NWU's timely 13 offensive rebounds kept them alive.
• Turnovers: NWU's ball security was stellar, committing only six turnovers compared to Concordia-Moorhead's 14.
• Clutch Shooting: NWU shot 66.7% in the second overtime, while holding Concordia-Moorhead to just 33.3%.

KEY PERFORMERS

• MVP: Carter Glenn (NWU): 20 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, including key baskets late in regulation and overtime.
• Conner Brown (NWU): 18 points, 6 rebounds, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
• Nick Howard (NWU): 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 three-pointers, earning him a spot on the All-Classic Team.
• Jackson Loge (Concordia-Moorhead): 26 points, 15 rebounds, and a dominant presence inside for the Cobbers.

ALL-CLASSIC TEAM

• MVP: Carter Glenn – Nebraska Wesleyan
• Soren Anderson – University of Northwestern (MN)
• Kaleb Brand – Central
• Joshua Van Gorp – Central
• Jackson Loge – Concordia-Moorhead
• Nick Howard – Nebraska Wesleyan

UP NEXT

The Prairie Wolves (5-2) will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to host Luther in their American Rivers Conference opener on Saturday, December 7. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 PM at Snyder Arena.

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