by Jefferson City, Missouri – Despite a shaky start filled with early turnovers and missed shots, Haskell Indian Nations University men’s basketball stayed competitive throughout the game before falling to NCAA division II school Lincoln (Mo.) 85–81 in nonconference play Thursdsay night.
First Half: Trading Blows Early (Lincoln (MO) leads 34-30)
The half began with both teams struggling to find the net, Nehemiah Boykins finally broke the deadlock for Haskell with a jumper at 16:48, tying the game 2-2.
- Haskell briefly took the lead on a layup by Aaron Campbell (4-3), assisted by Boykins.
- The mid-period saw Lincoln (MO) establish a small lead, reaching their largest margin of the half (18-24).
- Jesse White hit a crucial 3-pointer at the 9:28 mark to tie the game again at 17-17.
- Aaron Campbell (8 points) was key in keeping HINU within striking distance, including a layup at 6:04 and a jumper at 5:27.
- Haskell trailed by 4 points going into the break after Campbell hit a free throw with 3 seconds remaining. The half was marred by six Haskell turnovers.
Second Half: The Comeback (Game tied 70-70)
Haskell started the second half slow, calling an early timeout at 19:25 as a shot clock violation immediately gave the ball back to Lincoln (MO). The visitors extended their lead to the largest of the game (37-44) by the 16:09 mark.
- Aaron Campbell spearheaded the initial response, scoring consecutive layups to cut the deficit to two (35-37).
- Jesse White and Nehemiah Boykins kept the scoring alive, but the team struggled with free throws and suffered key turnovers, allowing Lincoln (MO) to maintain a lead of 5-8 points for much of the period.
- A scoring burst led by Preston Olney (back-to-back jumpers) and a layup by Chaske Jacobs suddenly brought Haskell within striking distance (49-52) with just under 10 minutes to play.
- Khoahanon Atazhoon was instrumental late, hitting a 3-pointer at 8:42 to keep the pressure on.
- The climax came with Preston Olney stealing the ball and scoring a layup, followed by a free throw, to give Haskell its first lead since the first half, 66-64, with 2:22 left.
- However, Solomon Oraegbu tied the game for Lincoln (MO) with 9 seconds left after a foul on Jesse White, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime: Lincoln (MO) wins 85-81
Haskell started overtime with the momentum, but Lincoln (MO) quickly seized control with a 3-pointer by D’Necco Rucker.
- Haskell struggled with turnovers in the extra period, including one by Jesse White at 3:42 and another by Preston Olney at the 22-second mark.
- The turnovers allowed Lincoln (MO) to build a significant 72-80 lead.
- A layup by Nehemiah Boykins with 9 seconds left and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, also by Boykins, were not enough to overcome the deficit.
Despite a valiant effort to force overtime, Haskell suffered the loss with a final score of 85-81.
