GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Pirates final run fell short as Southwestern's men's basketball team fell 74-71 to Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday night. The win drops SU to 3-7 on the season while NWU moves to 5-5 on the year.

Transition layups allowed Nebraska Wesleyan to build up an eleven point lead, 14-25 with 7:43 remaining in the first half. Southwestern worked the ball inside and got their first free throws of the game with 1:43 to play, pulling within six points 29-23. A jumper by Logan Hurley (pictured) and two Michael Cantu free throws were offset by a three-pointer by NWU's Schweitzer and sent the Prairie Wolves into the locker room with a five point lead, 32-27.

The Pirates just couldn't pull closer than six points in the second half until pulling within three, 67-64, with 2:15 remaining in the period after a layup and three pointer by Chase Kocher in consecutive offensive possessions.

With new life Southwestern got to work on the defensive end starting with Robbie Hanley's big block on a wide open layup and Nick Caputo secured the rebound to send SU back on the offensive with a chance to pull even closer. The offensive attack was fruitless, however, and NWU's leading scorer Bryce Arp made a layup, was fouled and made the ensuing free throw to put the Prairie Wolves up by six, 70-64 with 58 seconds remaining.

Jonathan Brown's put back jumper brought SU within four, 70-66, but Arp's free throws on the Southwestern foul pushed NWU's lead right back to six. Robbie Hanley answered with a layup and Schweitzer went 1-2 from the free throw line to put the Prairie Wolves up by five, 73-68, with 12 second remaining.

SU came down the floor and Caputo shot faked, took one dribble to the right and then drained a three pointer pulling Southwestern within two, 73-71. That is as close as the Pirates would get as a final three point look was off the mark and Southwestern fell 74-71.

Four Pirates scored in double figures in the contest led by Hurley's 17 points. Brown had his first double-double of the season, posting 16 points and 14 rebounds, a team high. Caputo added in 11 points while Kocher contributed 10 points in 12 minutes of action off the bench. NWU's Arp led all scorers with 22 points.

Southwestern returns to conference action as they ring in the new year in Sherman against Austin College. Game time is set for 6:00 pm.