Box Score
Box score
LISLE, Ill. - Wisconsin Lutheran could not
quite overcome a 19-point first-half deficit to the Benedictine
University Eagles as it dropped its third straight game by a final
91-84 on Saturday evening in a Northern Athletics Conference game
at the Rice Center.
The Warriors found themselves in an early hole, trailing 18-4 at
the 14:37 mark of the first half. However, WLC responded with a
14-0 run by making four straight three-pointers to knot the game at
18 apiece. After the game's only tie, Benedictine, which never
trailed, countered with a 15-0 run of its own and eventually led by
a game-high 19 points, 45-26, with 4:39 left. Wisconsin Lutheran
managed to trim its deficit down to eight points, 49-41, at
halftime.
Senior Kyle Madson (Madison, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) and
freshman Kaleb Buch (Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran) scored 14 and 13
points, respectively, in the half for the Warriors, who turned the
ball over just four times. BU shot the lights out, making 58.8
percent of its shots in the half. The Eagles also out-rebounded
WLC, 23-12.
Wisconsin Lutheran got within five points early in the second
half before Benedictine built its lead back up to 16 points, 64-48,
with 13:26 left. The Warriors slowly began to cut into their
deficit and trailed by just four points, 86-82, at the 1:50 mark.
Time was not on the Warriors' side, however, as the Eagles went
5-for-8 from the free-throw line the rest of the way to hold off
WLC.
After shooting 44.4 percent in the first half, the Warriors were
successful on 37.5 percent of their shots in the second period.
Madson and Buch, who were the only two Warriors to score in
double figures, posted career highs of 30 and 24 points,
respectively. Sophomore Alex Merbach (Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley
Lutheran) finished with a team-high 10 rebounds.
WLC ended the contest with a 41.2 percent (28-for-68) shooting
performance. The Warriors were out-rebounded 45-31 and committed
just eight turnovers, their second-lowest turnover output of the
season.
Rob Bridgeman poured in 26 points to pace five from Benedictine
(13-10, 7-8 NAC) in double digits. Cameron Snelling and Jerrell
Tribble each added double-doubles. BU shot 52.5 percent (32-for-61)
from the floor in the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran (8-13, 7-7 NAC), which currently sits in
fourth place in the NAC South, hosts Concordia University Chicago
on Tuesday in its final regularseason home game at 7 p.m. at the
Recreation Complex. Prior to the game, WLC will honor seniors
Madson, Shawn Glasel (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran), Sam
Siemers (Nicollet, Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran) and Ben
Ziesemer (New Ulm, Minn./Minnesota Valley Lutheran).
