Griffin Hatten | Contributing Writer
The Buena Vista University (BVU) men’s basketball team is continuing its drive down the always-challenging Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) highway in hopes of earning its first conference regular season title since the 2008-2009 season.
The Beaver men moved to 8-3 in the conference last Wednesday in Siebens Fieldhouse as they suffered their first setback in six games with a 73-58 loss to the University of Dubuque. This moved the team one game behind conference-leading Luther College. Luckily for the Beavers, Saturday brought Luther to town for a clash of the top two teams in the IIAC. After getting off to a dashing start in the first half, the Beavers cruised to a 70-41 victory over the IIAC leaders behind excellent defense and superb half-court offense. The win earned the Beaver men a 9-3 record in the IIAC and brought them into a tie with Luther atop the standings with two games left to play.
At least a share of the IIAC title is guaranteed provided the BVU men win both of the last two games of the year. They play Wednesday and Saturday against Wartburg and Coe College respectively.
“We’re in control of our own destiny. If we bring the energy and effort, especially on the defensive end like we did Saturday, we are confident in our chances of winning a conference title,” senior and offensive catalyst Wes Nordquist said about the upcoming conference games.
This, of course, will be no easy task as Wartburg and Coe are sitting in third and fourth place in the standings. Both teams are also seeking at least a share of the IIAC title as well. A win over Wartburg College and a Luther loss on Wednesday would earn the Beavers at least a share of the title.
“The best thing we can do is keep getting off to good early starts to the games and keep finishing them out like we have for most of the year,” senior Troy Ticknor said.
The Beavers are on the road at Wartburg tomorrow night. Then, fans can cheer on the team as they play at home on Saturday, Feb. 16 against Coe College, with a tip off at 4 p.m. in Siebens Fieldhouse. This contest could be the deciding factor on a conference championship for the Beavers.
Photo by David Ekstrom
