The teams battled over the leads, tying the game a total of six times in the closing frame including 72-72 when Adam Stringer scored with 1:09 remaining. The Storm took possession, running the shot clock down to six when Soppe sank his jumper. Iowa Wesleyan did not call time out right away, running the clock down to 14 seconds when Ryan O'Hern missed a three-pointer. Melvin Scott got the rebound and his put back was no good, but the ball went off a Simpson defender, giving the Tigers possession.
Iowa Wesleyan called timeout with six seconds, setting a play for the 6-7 Lange. With a two-inch height advantage on Soppe, Lange appeared to have traveled, but he drew a foul on the Storm center for Simpson's seventh team foul of the half. Lange missed the front end of the 1-in-1, Scott Ellens got the rebound to secure the victory for the Storm.
Soppe led Simpson with 17 points and tied for the team lead in rebounding with Hittenmiller (7). Hittenmiller scored 14 while Jason Parkinson and Matt Gilbert scoring 13 each. For Gilbert, who was 3-for-4 from three-point range, it was a career high.
O'Hern led Iowa Wesleyan with 17 points and six assists in 37 minutes of action. Jesse Hill also scored 17 while Lange had 14. Adam Stringer had 12. The Tigers were 25-for-66 (37.9%) from the field, but Simpson was not much better as the Storm were 27-for-64. The Tigers held a 46-40 rebounding advantage.
At Indianola, IA (Cowles Fieldhouse) SIMPSON COLLEGE 74 IOWA WESLEYAN COLLEGE 72 IOWA WESLEYAN COLLEGE (10-2) O'HERN, Ryan 7-13 0-0 17; HILL, Jesse 5-12 3-4 17; LANGE, Nathan 4-7 6-9 14; STRINGER, Adam 5-12 0-0 12; SILVERMAN, Zach 2-10 0-0 6; SCOTT, Melvin 2-9 2-2 6; HUMPAL, Brett 0-1 0-0 0; STONE, Ben 0-1 0-0 0; BAUER, Blake 0-0 0-0 0; LOMAS, Shaun 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-66 11-15 72. SIMPSON COLLEGE (3-5) SOPPE, Jason 6-7 5-8 17; HITTENMILLER, Ryan 5-11 3-4 14; PARKINSON, Jason 4-12 2-2 13; GILBERT, Matt 5-8 0-0 13; ELLENS, Scott 3-8 0-0 6; THORSON, Adam 2-6 0-0 5; ALLEN, Chris 1-3 1-4 3; COMBS, David 1-4 1-2 3; HAWKINS, Lyndon 0-1 0-0 0; FEREZY, David 0-0 0-0 0; TRAVIS, Jeff 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 27-64 12-20 74. Iowa Wesleyan College.......30 42 - 72 Simpson College............... 35 39 - 74 3-point goals-Iowa Wesleyan College 11-26 (HILL, Jesse 4-8; O'HERN, Ryan 3-8; STRINGER, Adam 2-4; SILVERMAN, Zach 2-4; LOMAS, Shaun 0-1; SCOTT, Melvin 0-1), Simpson College 8-29 (PARKINSON, Jason 3-8; GILBERT, Matt 3-4; HITTENMILLER, Ryan 1-6; THORSON, Adam 1-2; TRAVIS, Jeff 0-3; COMBS, David 0-3; ELLENS, Scott 0-3). Fouled out--Iowa Wesleyan College-None, Simpson College-HAWKINS, Lyndon. Rebounds-Iowa Wesleyan College 46 (SCOTT, Melvin 12), Simpson College 40 (ELLENS, Scott 7; SOPPE, Jason 7). Assists-Iowa Wesleyan College 17 (O'HERN, Ryan 6), Simpson College 21 (TRAVIS, Jeff 7). Total fouls-Iowa Wesleyan College 20, Simpson College 17. A-250