Box Score ST. JOSEPH, MO - The short-handed Missouri Western men's basketball team came up just short of a near-miraculous comeback in an 81-79 loss to Nebraska-Kearney in the MWSU Fieldhouse Thursday night.

The Griffons entered the game without Q Mays, Caleb Bennett, Alex John and Anthony Peacock due to Covid-19 protocols. Down three starters, including its two leading scorers, Western found itself down 30-7 midway through the first half.

That's when an unexpected youth movement took over.  Freshmen Zion Swader and Taye Fields combined for 35 points in a sensational effort, with Swader dropping a career-high 20 points (7-12 FG) with 4 steals and Fields finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds (11 offensive) in a wild comeback effort that saw the Griffons take a two point lead in the game's final minute.

"I'm so proud of this team," Head Coach Will Martin said. "I've never been more proud in my whole life, definitely as a coach.  I'll take the 'L' - that goes on my record. But we saw true growth tonight.  I haven't slept well after some wins this season.  I'll sleep better tonight than I have all season."

After falling behind 23 points at that 8:25 mark of the first half, the Griffons closed the half on a 28-11 run to get to within six (41-35) at the break. Kearney would push its lead back to as many as 13 in the second half before Western responded with another big run.  The Griffons outscored the Lopers 36-23 over the game's final 14 minutes, taking a brief 77-76 lead on a Reese Glover floater with just over one minute to go.  

Kearney responded on the next possession with a Matt Brien three-pointer to put the Lopers back on top 79-77 with 43 seconds remaining.  JaRon Thames tied the game at 79 with 25 seconds left on an "and-1" layup but missed the free throw.  UNK reclaimed the lead on a Darrian Nebecker jumper with 4.1 seconds to go.  Out of the timeout, Eames inbounded the ball to Thames who sprinted to the rim and threw up a floater in the lane that fell just short at the buzzer.  

Thames finished with 17 points (7-15 FG), Will Eames added 13 and freshman Justin Bubak chipped in 9 points.  The Griffons (8-9, 4-5 MIAA) have dropped five straight games since starting conference play 4-0, but with their top two scorers (Mays, Bennett) out of commission, the freshmen trio of Swader, Fields and Bubak nabbed needed experience, with all three players earning career highs in points scored and minutes played. 

The loss to Kearney and the circumstances surrounding the game had an eerily similar feel to last year's meeting with the Lopers.  Western entered Kearney, Nebraska last January riding an 8-1 start to the 2020-21 season, but an in-game Covid outbreak led to an upset loss, which then morphed into a 14-day shutdown of the Griffon basketball program.