EMPORIA STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL FALLS ON DAY TWO OF MIAA/NSIC CHALLENGE IN MINNESOTA

November 10, 2018- Emporia State Men's Basketball fell 99-63 to Sioux Falls (S.D) on Saturday in Marshall, Minn. The Hornets wrapped up their opening weekend at the MIAA/NSIC Challenge with a 1-1 record to start the season.
 
First Half
The Hornets struck first with a three from Sawyer Glick with 18:51 on the clock. The Cougars got back-to-back buckets to take the 4-3 lead before Malik Hluchoweckyj got a layup with the foul to regain the lead 6-4. Teams continued to battle to an 11-10 score in favor of the Hornets at the first media timeout.
 
The teams exchanged baskets and free-throws to a tie score at 15-15 before Trevon Evans gave Sioux Falls the lead with a three. The Hornet would bring it within one at 18-17, but the Cougars pushed their lead to 26-19 heading into the under ten minute media timeout.
 
Hluchoweckyj knocked down two free-throws out of the timeout to bring the score to 26-21. Over the next 4:35, the Cougars used a 13-6 run to extend their lead to 12 at 39-27 going into the final media of the half with 4:49 on the clock.
 
The Hornets struggled to find their rhythm on defense as they were outscored 13-7 in the final five minutes of the half. Emporia State went into the half trailing 52-34.
 
Second Half
The Hornets came out of the break with aggression taking five of the first six shots of the second half but could not connect early scoring only two points in that span. After the Hornets held them scoreless for the first three minutes of the half, the Cougars used a 5-0 run to make their lead 59-36. The Hornets were outscored 8-1 before the media timeout making it 67-37 with 13:19 on the clock.
 
Just 3:23 later at the next media timeout, the Hornets trailed 75-43 as Kooper Glick and Malik Hluchoweckyj battled back-and-forth with the Cougars. The Hornets continued to fight but could not find an answer for the Cougars shooting as they were outscored 13-8 heading into the final media timeout trailing 88-51. The Hornets would trail 90-51 before finishing the game with a 12-9 run to fall 99-63 to the Cougars.
 
The Hornets were led by Malik Hluchoweckyj with 15 points, 5 rebounds and three assists. Grant Shell joined him in double-digits with 11 points on 4-7 shooting, 3-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Emporia State will be back in action on Saturday, November 17 as they travel to Wichita, Kan. to take on Newman.