Tournament basketball can be cruel. Past results and season records are irrelevant when elimination is on the line. An opponent can get hot and things can get away in a hurry. Such was the case for the #6 Tabor College men’s basketball team in the opening round of the NAIA Division II National Championship as the Bluejays ran into a red-hot Indiana University East squad. IUE, the #7 seed in the bracket shot 59 percent from the field upsetting Tabor 91-68 on Thursday.
Led by Vasha Davis, the Red Wolves hit on 18-29 first half shots racing out to a 17-point halftime advantage. Davis finished with a game-high 25 points on 10-13 shooting including 3-4 from the three-point line.
The Bluejays scored the first basket of the second half to cut the lead to 15, but would never get any closer as IU East continued to convert and Tabor could not get untracked offensively.
Lance Carter (JR/Troy,OH) had 18 points to lead the Bluejays. D’Marco Smith (SR/Topeka, KS) had 12 while John Jedneak (SR/Princeton, MN) and Davaghndre Jones (JR/Fridley, MN) each tallied 10.
Carter also had a game-high seven rebounds. Jonathan Gibson (JR/Grenada) and Tullio Parry (JR/Los Angeles, CA) added five each.
Tabor’s magical season which included a first-ever 20-0 KCAC record comes to an end at 30-4. IU East advances to play Valley City State (ND), the #6 seed, who upended #3 Tennessee Wesleyan University 65-64.
