Season Record Improving for Wheelchair Basketball: 3-9 Record to 8-12 After First Tournaments of 2014

Kim Watkins, Editor-In-Chief

January 31, 2014

Coming off a 3-game winning streak in the Lincoln, Neb. tournament, held in mid-December, the Mustang wheelchair basketball team headed into their first game of the University of Illinois tournament with confidence.

The tournament, held the weekend of Jan. 17-18, saw the Mustangs take one win and three losses. In their first tournament since the spring semester began, the Mustangs went up against both the University of Illinois and University of Arizona, respectively, on Jan. 17.

Leading the Mustangs against Illinois, Derek Klinkner and David Nelson both scored into the double-digits, helping SMSU beat Illinois with a score of 48-37.

The Mustangs continued play against Arizona, where they were met with their first loss. Though the Mustangs rallied more points in the end, Arizona took the win, 51-48.

The following day saw no improvements as the Mustangs took a double loss in a rematch against Illinois and matchup against Wisconsin-Whitewater. With an intense ending, SMSU lost the rematch against Illinois, 44-45. Wisconsin-Whitewater won with a 44-point lead over the Mustangs with a final score of 30-74.

The SMSU Mustangs headed into last weekend with another 4-game schedule, to be held in the RA Facility on Jan. 25-26, against the Sioux Falls Wheelers and the Timberwolves, respectively.

The Mustangs easily defeated both teams on Saturday. Taking on the Wheelers first, SMSU took the win with a score of 60-33. Another win was to be made by the Mustangs in their evening game against the Timberwolves with a final score of 56-29.

Sunday’s games saw a rematch against both teams with the Mustangs taking both wins of the day. In the first game against the Timberwolves, both Klinkner and David Evjen scored into the double digits, leading SMSU to defeat the Timberwolves 46-44. Though the Sioux Fall Wheelers gained an 11-point lead over SMSU by the first half, the Mustangs managed to grab the win, with Klinkner and Donte Hill leading in points, with a final score of 52-49.

The weekend’s 4-game winning streak advances the team to an 8-12 record for the season overall.

About the Contributor

Kim Watkins, Former Member

Kim is a former member of the SMSU Spur. She was on staff for 4 years - she started in the 2010 Fall Semester. She is a double major - majoring in PWC (Professional Writing & Communications) and Literature. She graduated from Benson, Minn. High School in 2010 with honors. Her hobbies include reading, writing, walking, internet browsing and hanging out with friends and family, of course. She is also involved in the SMSU Jazz Ensemble and SMSU Concert Band and has also performed in the Southwest Minnesota Orchestra. Her other clubs include the English Club and Perceptions (SMSU's literary magazine). She is also involved in the Oyate Club. She loves big cities (mostly Minneapolis), libraries/book stores, camping (sometimes), swimming, listening to music and much more. Her passion is to become a book publisher/editor. Other dreams include hiking the Triple Crown and seeing all of the U.K.

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Season Record Improving for Wheelchair Basketball: 3-9 Record to 8-12 After First Tournaments of 2014

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