Mitchell Kernels boys basketball improved to 9-1 at the halfway point of the regular season with a 57-51 win over Sioux Falls Lincoln on Thursday night at the Corn Palace.
The Kernels only trailed 13-9 at the end of the first quarter after the Patriots got off to a 13-4 start in the opening minutes.
Mitchell would win the second quarter 18-13 to take a 27-26 lead into halftime.
After being tied at 40 at the end of the third, the Kernels started the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to take the lead for good, behind a pair of three-pointers from Gavin Soukup.
Soukup was the KORN Player of the Game with 16 points, four three-pointers, with three of them coming in the fourth quarter.
Colton Smith had a game-high 18 points and six rebounds, while Markus Talley added 13 points and six rebounds.
Mitchell shot 55 percent for the game, 24-of-43, including a 61 percent clip in the second half, while holding SF Lincoln to just 37 percent.
The Patriots had three players score in double figures, led by Braxton Mohr with 17 points, Tate Schafer added 14, while Garry Crowe had 10 points and six rebounds.
The Kernels came into the week ranked No. 2 in the latest media poll. Earlier this week, No. 3 SF Roosevelt defeated No. 1 Harrisburg 53-48. With the win, Mitchell is No. 1 in seed points in AA at 44.44.
Mitchell will be at Brookings on Thursday, January 25 at 7 pm. The Kernels end the season with eight of its final 10 games on the road.