Waldorf Men's Basketball Can't Complete Second Half Comeback vs. Dakota Wesleyan

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf University mounted a spirited second-half comeback but could not overcome a hot-shooting Dakota Wesleyan squad, falling 94-87 on Wednesday night at Hanson Fieldhouse.

The Tigers shot 56.4% from the field and 52.2% from 3-point range and used free throws in the closing seconds to hold off the Warriors, who outscored Dakota Wesleyan 50-45 after halftime. Oliver Vincent and Easton Neuendorf combined to go 9-for-9 at the line, including four makes in the final 31 seconds that kept Waldorf from completing its rally.

Dakota Wesleyan controlled the first half with a series of timely perimeter shots. Vincent's 3-pointer at the 16:11 mark gave the visitors a 14-13 edge, and Steele Morgan buried another from deep to stretch the margin to 25-19 with 12:41 left in the first quarter. The Tigers closed the half on another surge, capped by a late layup from CJ Banks that sent Waldorf into the locker room trailing 49-34.

Waldorf answered with energy after the break, trading baskets early before slowly chipping away at the deficit. Although Neuendorf knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 54-42 and Randy Rosenquist Jr. pushed the lead to 63-47 with a layup during a second-half run, the Warriors tightened up defensively, forced turnovers and began to find rhythm on offense. Waldorf outscored Dakota Wesleyan 50-45 in the second half and trimmed what had been a 16-point deficit to single digits down the stretch.

The Warriors' push made Dakota Wesleyan work to the finish. After Waldorf pulled within 79-72, the Tigers answered with a 3-pointer from Noah Oberfeld to restore a double-digit advantage. Vincent then drilled another 3-pointer at the 2:48 mark for an 86-80 lead, but Waldorf continued to attack, getting quick scores to stay within striking distance. In the final minute, Neuendorf sank two free throws with 31 seconds left to make it 92-83, and Vincent added two more with eight seconds remaining for a 94-85 cushion before a late Waldorf layup produced the final 94-87 margin.

Offensively, Waldorf matched Dakota Wesleyan's efficiency inside the arc, finishing 39-of-76 (51.3%) from the field and moving the ball well with 19 assists to only nine turnovers. The Warriors also generated pressure on the perimeter, recording eight steals to the Tigers' two. However, the free-throw line proved decisive: Dakota Wesleyan went 20-of-24 (83.3%) at the stripe, while Waldorf managed just 2-of-5.

Individually, the Warriors were led by Conner Aldridge, who scored a game-high 22 points on 10-of-22 shooting with five rebounds in 29 minutes. Nick Graves added 18 points and three 3-pointers while logging 36 minutes in the backcourt. For Dakota Wesleyan, Vincent paced the balanced attack with 20 points and a 7-for-7 effort at the line, Neuendorf added 19 points and seven assists, and Morgan turned in an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Waldorf's late surge and balanced offensive showing offered positives despite the result, as the Warriors showed resilience in erasing much of a sizeable first-half deficit. This result puts the Warriors at 6-19 for the season, with a 2-14 mark in GPAC play.