Conner Groves and Nick Hoyt combined for 40 of the Chargers 69 points in Saturday's two-point win over Ottawa. The Briar Cliff men's basketball team moves to 8-6 on the season and 4-2 in road games.
 
"Today was a heck of a win by our guys, we dug ourselves a pretty decent hole in the first half. Late first half our defensive intensity kicked up and we were able to get some stops and turnovers to get the lead from 12 down to seven, which is obviously more manageable," said head coach Mark Svagera. "In the second half we really got the ball moving offensively, shared it well and got some good looks. Defensively, they only scored 27 points in the second half, which is a good effort by our guys on a day where we were a little shorthanded on a personnel standpoint."
 
Groves and Hoyt scored 20 points apiece and did the majority of their damage from behind the 3-point line. Groves knocked down five 3-pointers while Hoyt connected on six. Groves corralled 10 rebounds and recorded his first double-double of the season.
 
Jaden Kleinhesselink and Groves each scored nine first half points to pace the Cliff. After a tightly contest first 10-minutes of play, the Braves began to build a lead with a 12-point edge with 8:04 remaining in the half. A 3-pointer from Hoyt with 31 seconds left cut the deficit to seven heading into the break.
 
The Chargers pulled with two points of the Braves lead three minutes into the second half after back-to-back 3-pointers from Hoyt. Ottawa would push their edge back to eight points before a 13-1 run gave the Cliff the lead. Hoyt was the driving force during the BC run, scoring eight points in the four-minute span, and all 14 of his second half points in the first 10 minutes of play.

Ottawa would tie the game once 60-60 with 3:59 left, but the Chargers would hold onto the lead until the final buzzer.
 
 Kleinhesselink scored 14 points and grabbed five boards. Nathan Hall was a perfect 3-for-3 with seven points, five rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
 
The Chargers knocked down 10 or more 3-pointers in their eighth game this season and for the fifth consecutive game.
 
"Really proud of our guys coming on this trip and coming out of it 2-0," said Svagera. "Our bench was huge for us again, and maybe from a production standpoint it wasn't a ton. Nate Hall, Blake Sindelar and Jamison Helmers gave us a big spark in a lot of ways. I'm proud of the guys and this weekend can give us some positive momentum as we head back into GPAC play and the new year."
 
The Chargers head to Mitchell, South Dakota Wednesday to resume GPAC play against Dakota Wesleyan.