By HBCU Gameday Newswire
From – https://hbcugameday.com/
Reprinted – by Texas Metro News
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Defense was the story of the night as the No. 1 seed Langston University defeated No. 2 seed Indiana Wesleyan 61-48 in the 86th Annual NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship Quarterfinal Round on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium. The Lions advance to the NAIA Fab Four for the first time in program history.
The Wildcats (29-6) entered their quarterfinal matchup boasting four players that averaged double figures in Javan Buchanan (20.5 ppg), Nathan Childress (14.5 ppg), Griffin Kliewer (14.5 ppg) and Caedmon Bontrager (13.9 ppg) while averaging 90.5 points per game as team. However, the Lion’s patented defense was on the display from the outset as they held the Wildcats to 33 percent (10-of-30) shooting in the first half while building a 37-25 halftime lead.
The defensive intensity continued in the second half as Langston University held Indiana Wesleyan to 34 percent (eight-of-23) after halftime. The Lions held the quartet of double-digit scorers from Indiana Wesleyan to a combined 12-of-41 which included a one-for-eight mark from three-point range.
“They’re a great offensive team and for us to disrupt what they wanted to do I thought was really impressive,” head coach Chris Wright said. “I’m proud of our guys, I thought they followed the game plan extremely well. We were locked in and to do that to a team that averages over 90 points a game says a lot about the character of our guys.”
“Our identity is defense and rebounding,” senior forward Cortez Mosley said. “We just knew if we defended and rebounded, we would be okay. We just pride ourselves on our defense and being the tougher team because at the end of the day the tougher team wins.”
Langston University built a 15-point lead at 49-34 at the 9:32 mark following a three-pointer by G’Quavious Lennox and free throws from Majok Kuath. The Lions led by as much as 17 in the second half, sealing the quarterfinal victory at 61-48.
Mosley led Langston in scoring with 15 points on five-of-12 shooting with six boards; Anthony Roy added 13 on five-of-13 shooting including three three-pointers. On the night the Lions hit 37 percent (20-of-53) overall and finished 16-of-21 from three throw line while holding IWU to 34 percent (18-of-53) overall and three-of-12 from three-point range.
Langston held Indiana Wesleyan to the lowest point total of the season with 48 points. Their previous low was 71 points back on January 31st versus Grace (Ind.).
Wright said getting the Langston University men’s basketball program to this point is part of the vision that was established when he was hired in April 2022.
“It’s very humbling, when (former Langston University president) Dr. (Kent J.) Smith, (Langston University Director of Athletics) Donnita Rogers and the senior leadership hired me this was their vision,” Wright noted. “So many people deserve the credit for this but it’s very humbling to be a part of. I feel tremendously blessed to be able to get our program to this point.”
The Lions improve to 34-1 overall and advances to the NAIA Fab Four on Monday night, March 25, in Municipal Auditorium. Langston squares off against the College of Idaho Yotes (32-3) who advanced to the Fab Four by way of defeating Morningside 73-56 on Saturday night.
