POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - Warner Pacific survived a late game charge from Nebraska Wesleyan and posted a 106-101 win over the Prairie Wolves in the 1st round Liston Bracket of the NAIA National Tournament tonight inside Keeter Gymnasium.

Taylor Young torched the NWU defense for 30 points on 10 of 17 shooting, while Xavier Cannefax added a season best 28 to pace the Knights to a spot in the quarterfinals for the 6th time in 10 trips to Branson.

The Knights led by as much as 20 points in the second half and enjoyed a 95-79 advantage with 3:12 to play, but had to finish the game without Cannefax and Earl Jones who were forced to the bench with five fouls each. NWU took advantage and charged back with a record setting three-point onslaught. Nebraska Wesleyan netted 18 three-point goals, breaking the tournament record of 17 jointly held by four teams, most recently in 1999. WPC scored just one field goal in the last three minutes, but managed to make just enough free throws to secure the win.

The teams combined to set the record for most attempted three-pointers (59) and tied for third most three-pointers made (26) in a single game.

Brilliant in defeat was Nebraska Wesleyan guard Trey Bardsley, who scored a game and tournament high 39 points, including eight of the Prairie Wolves' 18 three-pointers, the third highest single game total at the championship.

With Jones leading the offense and Young and Cannefax supplying the points, Warner Pacific led 57-43 at halftime. Jones added 20 points to his superb floor game before fouling out with 7:10 remaining. De Jon Bowman and Collin Malcolm each added 12 points to the Knights' cause.

Nebraska Wesleyan got as close as three points (104-101) on Bardsley's final three with 0:28 remaining. Also in double figures for Nebraska Wesleyan were Keithan Karn with 19 and Travis Giesselmann and Blake Ruiz with 14 apiece. Nebraska Wesleyan closes its final season in NAIA Division II with a record of 22-8.

Warner Pacific will face Davenport University in round two on Friday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m PST.