Warriors Show Resilience; Upset No. 14 Morningside

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Midland University traveled to Sioux City to face 14th-ranked Morningside University in a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) showdown. A thrilling second-half comeback propelled the Warriors to an 84-81 road victory over the Mustangs.

The game opened with a statement dunk from the Mustangs, but Rece Kissinger quickly answered, sparking an 8-3 run that gave the Warriors early momentum. Morningside responded with a three-pointer to tie the game at 8-8. Jake Orr countered with a jump shot, setting the tone for a competitive first half filled with back-and-forth action.

Morningside then put together a 5-0 run, looking to create separation, but Orr energized the Warriors with an 11-0 run to claim a 25-20 lead. The Mustangs fought back with a 13-2 run to regain the lead at 33-27. Jeff Rozelle III provided a spark for Midland with a dunk, fueling a 7-3 run that brought the Warriors within two points at 36-34 with just under two minutes left in the half. Both teams exchanged baskets before a last-second three-pointer by Morningside gave the Mustangs a 44-40 lead heading into halftime.

The second half began with Morningside hitting back-to-back three-pointers to widen its advantage. However, Rozelle ignited a 10-2 run for Midland, narrowing the gap. The Mustangs responded with a quick 5-0 run, but Ryan Larsen and Orr combined for a 5-2 spurt to keep the Warriors within striking distance.

Morningside continued to apply pressure, hitting three consecutive three-pointers to produce a 9-3 run. However, Orr ended Midland's scoring drought and led a dominant 17-2 run that put the Warriors ahead, 75-70. The Mustangs managed a layup, but Orr and the Warriors maintained their momentum with a 6-2 run to extend the lead to 81-74 with two minutes remaining.

In the final moments, Morningside applied pressure with a 7-2 run, cutting the deficit to just two points. However, Larsen sealed the victory for Midland at the free-throw line, securing a thrilling 84-81 upset over the 14th-ranked Mustangs.

Midland shot 33-of-56 (58.9%) from the field, while Morningside shot 30-of-69 (43.5%). The Warriors out-rebounded the Mustangs 35-32 and shot 70% from the free-throw line compared to Morningside's 58.3%.

Orr led the Warriors with a double-double, scoring 27 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Larsen followed with 20 points, while Rozelle chipped in 17.

"We played with a level of toughness tonight. Winning on the road isn't easy," commented head coach Tyler Erwin. "We got down 10 points in the second half and were mentally and physically tough enough. Morningside is a tough guard. Their speed and actions are extremely tough. They can score in bunches, and we bent a few times but didn't break.

"We made shots. Larsen has found his rhythm and has really stretched the floor for us. J.O. [Orr] was tremendous. He affects winning in a lot of ways. Everyone looks at his scoring, and he does so much more. We couldn't take him out of the game tonight.

"Noah [Sandbothe] gave us five huge minutes in the second half and made winning plays. I can't say enough about our locker room and our culture. Our 'next-man-up' mentality has really helped. We've had numerous injuries but haven't given in. We found a way!"

Midland (9-10, 4-7 GPAC) will take a midweek break before hosting No. 11 Dordt (17-1, 9-1 GPAC) next Saturday. The conference game is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. on January 18 inside the Wikert Event Center in Fremont, Nebraska.