by (Lawrence, Kansas) – The Haskell Indians Nations University men’s basketball team won it’s final home game of the 2015 semester behind a strong career-high 33 point performance behind senior forward Duelle Gore (Seminole Tribe of Florida). The Indians outlasted William Woods University by a final score of 94-83 at Coffin Sports Complex Saturday afternoon.
Tsalidi Sequoyah (EBCI) added a double-double behind a 13 point and 10 rebound performance. While two other Haskell players, Joe Moudy (Creek) and Dallas Rudd (Chickasaw), would finish in the double-digit scoring column with 1o points a piece.
The William Woods Owls and the Indians met previously this season in which the Owls were able to best Haskell in Missouri. The Indians were not looking for a repeat to close out the final home game of the semester.
In the first half, the Owls made two-pointer in the paint at the 14:19 mark, tied up the score at 12-12. The Indians, however, would go on a 13-2 run over the next four minutes and expand its lead out to 25-14, capped off by a Sequoyah two-pointer.
The Owls, would continue to battle and with 5:27 remaining in the first, the team narrowed the Indians advantage down to 32-27, after Kuschel went 1-of-2 from the line.
HINU, who shot 53.6 percent from the floor in the first 20:00 minutes, couldn’t be slowed down, stretched its lead back out to 44-30, with 1:49 left, after Gore made both of his free throws. WWU would close out the half on a 4-0 run and headed into halftime, down by 10 (44-34).
WWU shot 38.7 percent from the floor and were led by Lowery’s nine points, while Gore, already had 20 points. The Indians, also controlled the boards in the first half, holding an advantage of 21-14.
In the second half, after trailing 52-40, the Owls would go on a 5-0 run, with the Owls Pettigrew hitting a two-pointer and Mitchell draining a 3-pointer at the 14:15 mark, which cut the lead down to seven (52-45).
The Owls would continue to keep it close, as with 10:30 remaining, Kuschel grabbed down the offensive board, scored the put-back and put the scoreboard at 60-54.
The Indians, however, would get the lead back to double-digits at 68-57, after Marcus Middleton hit both of his free throws with 8:23 on the clock. In less than a minute, though, the Owls were again down by six, as Pettigrew scored on the fast break.
That would be as close as they would get, with Gore hitting a huge 3-pointer with 4:09 left, to put the Indians ahead 79-69. Haskell was able to maintain its lead the final four minutes of action and secure the 11-point win over the Owls.
Haskell now heads into the holiday break and won’t hit the court again for a game until January 2nd when the travel to Ottawa, Kansas to take on the Ottawa Braves whom they previously played earlier this season in a 86-93 loss in Lawrence. The next home game for the Indians at Coffin Sports Complex will be on January 5th when they host Mid-America Christian University.
