Warriors Battle Back but Fall to Briar Cliff on the Road

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Midland University traveled to Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday evening for a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) matchup against Briar Cliff University. Despite a valiant second-half comeback, the Warriors fell short as the Chargers handed them an 80-74 loss on the road.

Briar Cliff started strong, opening the game with a commanding 16-5 run. Rece Kissinger and Trey McCain ended Midland's scoring drought with back-to-back three-pointers. Both teams traded baskets before Briar Cliff extended its lead with a 9-0 run, making it 36-19. Ryan Larsen and Butch Lordeus responded with consecutive three-pointers to halt Midland's drought. The Chargers answered with another three-pointer, and Lordeus closed the half at the free-throw line. Midland went into halftime trailing by double digits, 39-27.

After the intermission, Larsen ignited the Warriors with a 12-0 run to tie the game at 39-39, prompting Briar Cliff to call a timeout. Following the pause, the Chargers ended their scoring drought, but Midland kept up the pressure as Jake Orr fueled a 10-3 run to give the Warriors a 49-44 lead. The teams then engaged in a back-and-forth battle, with Briar Cliff responding with a 7-0 run to trim the deficit to one. The momentum continued to swing until the Chargers reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 run, making it 70-67 and prompting a Midland timeout. Despite keeping the game close, Briar Cliff sealed the win at the free-throw line, finishing with a 5-2 run.

For the game, Midland shot 30-of-65 (46.2%), while Briar Cliff posted a more efficient 27-of-49 (55.1%). The Chargers gained a significant edge from beyond the arc, making 12 three-pointers compared to Midland's five.

Orr led the Warriors with 24 points and seven rebounds, while Larsen and Mason Strong each added 10 points.

"We faced some challenges early but settled in by the late first half. Credit to Briar Cliff—they shot the ball extremely well, especially in the first half," commented Midland head coach Tyler Erwin. "We came out with a tremendous start to the second half, but we need to focus on getting those crucial stops down the stretch. Our team has had a lot of moving parts the past few games with sickness and injuries, but those aren't excuses. The guys have been resilient. Jack [Cooper], Mason [Strong], Nick [Dolezal], Isaiah [Smith], and Butch all stepped up and gave us great minutes tonight. I'm proud of our effort—it was a hard-fought game."

Midland (10-12, 5-9 GPAC) will return home to host its annual Coaches vs. Cancer game against Concordia University (16-4, 10-3 GPAC) at the Wikert Event Center. The conference matchup is set for 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, in Fremont. Fans are encouraged to wear pink for the "Pink Out" theme, supporting cancer awareness, survivors, and caregivers. This annual event is held in partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society.