March 12, 2008
16th-seed Aquinas College (Mich.) defeated Dakota Wesleyan 91-66 in the second game at the 2008 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championships. The event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks (Mo.)
The two teams played a very close first half with Aquinas leading by two, 38-36, at intermission. The Saints used an 8-2 run to start the second half to lead 46-38. Dakota Wesleyan battled back within four, 55-51, with less than 10 minutes to play before a 12-2 Aquinas run gave the Saints a 67-53 advantage. DWU was within 12 with four minutes to go but a 9-0 run pushed the Saints lead to over 20 once again and clinched the win.
Aquinas shot 60% for the game and an even better 68% from beyond the arc (15/22). Junior guard James Telman led all players with 30 points, including seven of ten from the three point line. John Lierman added 26 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Saints earned their first ever win in this their third trip to the national tournament.
Dakota Wesleyan was led in scoring by GPAC Player-of-the-Year Preston Broughton who netted 17 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Ike Muoneke was the only other Tiger player in double figures with 12. DWU shot 41% for the game, just 33% in the second half. Dakota Wesleyan, making their third trip to the national tournament, finishes the season with a 24-9 overall record
Aquinas improves to 25-8 and will face either top-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) or St. Joseph's (Vt.) in the second round on Friday, March 14 at 10:15 a.m. The 32-team, single elimination tournament concludes Tuesday, March 18.
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