Hastings Shows Grit in 95-86 Loss at #7 Northwestern

(Orange City, IA) – The Hastings Broncos fell 95-86 to the #7-ranked Northwestern Red Raiders on Thursday to begin the calendar year, despite a great second half effort that saw the Broncos outscore the Red Raiders 50-42 in the final 20 minutes.

The game started with a 9-0 Northwestern run, as they were able to get to the free throw line a couple of times and scored on each of their first four possessions. Sophomore Ben Boudreau broke the ice for Hastings with a triple, though the Red Raiders responded with a quick 7-0 run of their own to take a 16-3 three lead four minutes in.

After Hastings got within five at 18-13 with 13:15 left on a three-point play by recently-added junior John Barnhill, Northwestern went on a 17-0 run to take a 35-13 lead midway through the half. Hastings managed to go on an 8-0 with a three from junior David Ogunlade, followed by a jumper and triple from Boudreau, but the Red Raiders were able slow the momentum from there. Trailing 50-30 with two minutes left in the half, Ogunlade and freshman Maverick Binder each hit threes before the half, as the Red Raiders held a 53-36 halftime advantage.

Northwestern shot 61 percent from the field in the opening half, compared to 38 percent for Hastings. The Broncos shot it well from downtown, going eight for 18 from three, with Binder and Ogunlade going six for six. Boudreau hit the other two threes, finishing with 14 first half points to lead the way, along with 12 from Binder.

Hastings turned things around in the second half, scoring 50 points in the second half, despite making just one three-pointer in the period as they managed to out-rebound the much taller Red Raiders 14-13. The second half opened with a 16-7 run by Hastings as they fought back into the game. Boudreau and Ogunlade scored on the first two possessions, then sophomore Hunter Hill scored twice inside to trim the lead to 12. After two Red Raider free throws, Binder stepped up and drained his fifth three of the contest three minutes into the half.

Binder got to the line a minute later and sank both, then following a second-chance basket by Northwestern, Boudreau found Hill inside for a layup, who absorbed the contact and completed the three-point play at the foul line to make it 60-52 with 15:02 remaining. Trailing 62-52, junior Myles Simon attacked the rim to score off the feed from Boudreau. Boudreau grabbed the Northwestern miss on the ensuing possession and scored at the other end to get within six and force a Red Raider timeout with 13:35 left.

Northwestern used their size to score inside out of the timeout, but Hastings would not go away easily. Barnhill cleaned up the offensive glass and scored, plus the foul, knocking the lead down to five on the free throw. Northwestern answered with a 5-0 run to go back up 10, but Boudreau attacked the rim on back-to-back possessions to get back within six with 11:02 left.

The Broncos got the lead to within five on multiple occasions over the next few minutes, but Northwestern was able to respond each time with a basket to stretch the lead back out. With 6:41 left and trailing by six, a jumper from Binder got Hastings to within six, but that would be the closest that they would get. Northwestern responded with a 7-0 run to force a Hastings timeout at the 5:35 mark.

Hastings hung around the rest of the way and had a couple of chances to make it an even closer game late. Trailing 94-86 with 48 seconds left after a layup from Barnhill, the Hastings defensive pressure forced a turnover and Simon had a great look from three off of a pick-and-pop. Hall and Barnhill each had second-chance opportunities to make it a two-possession game, but they did not fall, as Northwestern held on to win, 95-86.

Northwestern shot 54 percent from the field, while Hastings shot 49 percent. Despite the Red Raider height advantage, Hastings only got outrebounded by four. 

Boudreau led the way offensively with 24 points, eight assists, and three rebounds. Binder contributed 19 points and four rebounds, while Ogunlade had 14 points and six rebounds, including three offensive. Barnhill came off the bench to lead Hastings and three of his team-high seven rebounds on the offensive end, in addition to adding 10 points.  

Up next, Hastings will return home to host Briar Cliff on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 3:45pm in Lynn Farrell Arena.