Box Score
Box score
AURORA, Ill. - Wisconsin Lutheran College
overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to take a two-point lead
with under four minutes left, but in the end, the Aurora University
Spartans came out on top 80-75 on Wednesday night in a Northern
Athletics Conference game at the Thornton Gymnasium.
Wisconsin Lutheran led briefly in the first half, 7-6, only to
see the Aurora Spartans storm back with a 17-3 run to take their
largest lead of the game, 23-10, with 11:02 left in the half. The
Warriors chipped away and trailed by just five points, 39-34, at
halftime.
WLC shot 42.9 percent in the opening half, while AU, despite
attempting 17 more shots, fired on 35.6 percent of its shots. The
Warriors were plagued by 13 turnovers and were out-rebounded 10-3
on the offensive glass in the first frame.
The Warriors, who trailed by no more than six points throughout
the entire second period, took their first lead of the half, 70-69,
with 4:48 remaining. One of Ben Ziesemer's (New Ulm,
Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran) four three-pointers put Wisconsin
Lutheran in front 73-71 at the 3:53 mark, however Aurora responded
with a 7-0 run to grab a lead that it would never give up.
Ziesemer and Kyle Madson (Madison, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) each
scored 11 of their 16 points in the half for the Warriors, who shot
46.4 percent from the floor, including 53.8 percent from beyond the
arc.
Alex Merbach (Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) posted a
double-double with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Sam
Siemers (Nicollet, Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran) was the fourth
Warrior to finish in double figures, adding 11 points.
WLC ended the game with a 44.6 percent (25-for-56) shooting
performance from the floor, including 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from
downtown. The Warriors, who shot below 67 percent from the free
throw line for the third straight game, committed 10 more turnovers
(22-12) than the Spartans.
Shane Roland, who surpassed the 1,000-career point mark in the
game, led all five Spartans (9-9, 6-5 NAC) starters who reached
double figures with a game-high 20 points. AU concluded the game by
shooting 40 percent (32-for-80) from the floor.
Wisconsin Lutheran (6-10, 5-4 NAC) returns home from its
three-game road trip Saturday when its hosts Lakeland College as
part of its annual Winterfest celebration. The contest, which
follows the women's game, tips-off at the 3:15 p.m. at the
Recreation Complex.
