by Matt Bos, Media Coordinator

Point Lookout, Mo. -Box Score | Bracket-Running their fast break to precision for thirty plus minutes, Warner Pacific (Ore.) ultimately had to hang on to eliminate Nebraska Wesleyan 106-101 in a first round Liston bracket contest in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Championship.

Leading by as many as twenty points (72-52) early in the second half and still in command 86-68 when star point guard Earl Jones fouled out with 7:10 remaining, Warner Pacific made just enough of its free throw attempts to maintain control. The Knights' victory was achieved despite a record setting three-point onslaught by the Prairie Wolves. Nebraska Wesleyan netted 18 three-point goals, breaking the tournament record of 17 jointly held by four teams, most recently in 1999.

The teams combined to set the record for most attempted three-pointers (59) and tied for third most three-pointers made (26) in a single game.

Brilliant in defeat was Nebraska Wesleyan guard Trey Bardsley, who scored a game and tournament high 39 points, including eight of the Prairie Wolves' 18 three-pointers, the third highest single game total at the championship.

With Jones leading the offense and Taylor Young and Xavier Connefax supplying the points, Warner Pacific led 57-43 at halftime. Young finished with 30 points and Connefax 28. Jones added 20 points to his superb floor game. De Jon Bowman and Collin Malcolm each added 12 points to the Knights' cause.

Nebraska Wesleyan got as close as three points (104-101) on Bardsley's final three with 0:28 remaining. Also in double figures for Nebraska Wesleyan were Keithan Karn with 19 and Travis Giesselmann and Blake Ruiz with 14 apiece. Nebraska Wesleyan closes its final season in NAIA Division II with a record of 22-8.