SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University men’s basketball trailed by one at halftime but exploded for 53 second half points to survive a game No. 8 Antelope Valley (Calif.) 87-76 in the NAIA DII National Championship Round of 32. Evan Maxwell and Kyle Mangas led the second half push where the duo combined for 35 points in the final 20 minutes.

GAME VITALS

• NAIA Division II National Championship – Round of 32
• Score:  Indiana Wesleyan def. Antelope Valley, 87-76
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan  27-7   |   Antelope Valley 20-8
• NAIA Top- 25 Poll:  Indiana Wesleyan - No. 4   |   Antelope Valley – Receiving votes
• Championship Seed:  Indiana Wesleyan - No. 1   |   Antelope Valley – No. 8
• Location:   Heritage Court   |   Sanford Pentagon   |   Sioux Falls, South Dakota

STAT TRACKER

• Evan Maxwell:  33 points, 14-20 FG, 2-3 3FG, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
• Kyle Mangas:  21 points, 9-12 FT, 3 rebounds
• Grant Smith:  10 points, 4-8 FG, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
• Ben Carlson:  8 points, 4-5 FG, 8 rebounds
   

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Indiana Wesleyan trailed 35-34 at halftime despite a poor-shooting opening half. IWU managed just 39-percent (13 of 33) from the field and 22-percent (2 of 9) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Antelope Valley lit it up at 50-percent (12 of 24) and 58-percent (7 of 12) from deep.
• The Wildcat offense rebounded with a huge second half performance. After a 34-point first half, IWU scored 34 points by the midway point of the second half.
• Indiana Wesleyan pulled away early in the second half. With the scored tied at 52, IWU went on a 20-4 run to build the largest lead of the game at 72-56 with nine minutes to play. Maxwell scored 11 points in the stretch.
• Antelope Valley closed the deficit to just five points at 74-69 with five minutes remaining. But IWU reeled off the next six points to close out the game.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Indiana Wesleyan shot 67-percent in the second half on 18-of-27 shooting. Maxwell connected on 9-of-11 shot for 21 second half points.
• Maxwell and Mangas combined for 35 second half points.
• The Wildcats improve to 25-8 all-time at the national championship and 8-3 as a No. 1-seed. IWU has never lost to a No. 8-seed in five games.
• Kyle Mangas scored 21 points and has now scored 739 points this season. He moved past Durand ‘Speedy’ Walker (725) with his performance today and now just trails Lane Mahurin (756) by 17 points.
   

COACH TONAGEL SAYS…

• On Antelope Valley…
  “They are a good team and they pushed us. They beat the No. 1 team in NAIA DI and that doesn’t happen by accident.
   
• On the Wildcats’ performance…
  We came out a little jittery but we settled down in the second half and started playing our basketball. Evan was pretty good today. When we got him the ball he produced. And we needed that production off the bench from Grant. That was a style of game that fits Grant -- get up-and-down and let him get out in the open.”
   
• What was said at halftime after trailing 35-34…
  “The message at halftime was we are jittery. Let’s get out there and find some rhythm.”
   
• On the second half scoring barrage…
  “It’s amazing what happens when the ball moves. It finds its way inside that bucket a whole lot more.”
   

NEXT TIME OUT

• Indiana Wesleyan plays No. 4-seed and No. 17-ranked IU Southeast in the NAIA DII National Championship Round of 16. The game is slated for 5 p.m. ET on Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It is the first meeting between the two programs at the national championship. IUSE defeated No. 5 Stillman (Ala.) 84-66 to advance to the Round of 16.