Box Score
Box score
AURORA, Ill. - Junior forward Alex Merbach
(Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) scored a career-high 31
points, but the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team
fell to the Aurora University Spartans 88-78 on Saturday afternoon
at the Thornton Gymnasium.
Wisconsin Lutheran found itself in an early hole, trailing by 17
points, 25-8, with 12:55 left in the first half. The Warriors
however would not go away and went on a 16-2 run to take their
first lead of the half at 41-40 just before halftime. AU netted the
final score of the half for a slim 42-41 lead at the halftime
break.
The Warriors shot 44.1 percent in the first half and 41.2 from
three-point range. Meanwhile, the Spartans were 18-for-40 (45
percent) from the floor, including 5-for-13 from three-point range.
WLC out-rebounded AU in the first half, 22-20.
WLC scored the first five points of the second half and led by
as many as five points, 48-43, at the 17:19 mark. Both teams went
back-and-forth, tying the contest four times before the Spartans
went on an 8-0 run for a 74-66 lead with 5:12 left in the game. The
Warriors would get no closer than five points the rest of the
way.
The Spartans were 15-for-30 from the floor in the second half
for 50 percent, while WLC shot 38.9 percent (14-for-36). AU went to
the free throw line 16 times in the second half, making nine
attempts. The Warriors were 5-for-8 from the charity stripe in the
half. Wisconsin Lutheran committed just three turnovers in the
second half.
Merbach finished with a career-high 31 points on 11-for-16
shooting to lead all scorers in the game. Sophomore Tim Demuth
(Franksville, Wis./Racine Lutheran) and junior Jeremy Murphy
(Chicago, Ill./Clemente) added 14 and 10 points, respectively. WLC
concluded the contest shooting 41.4 percent (29-for-70).
Mark Adams and Mike Bumber each scored 22 points to pace the
Spartans (11-8, 6-5 NAC). Scott Laskowski added 17 points. Skyler
Ormsbee pulled down a game-high eight rebounds for AU, which shot
47.1 percent (33-for-70) for the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran (3-15, 2-8 NAC) returns to action on Tuesday
when it faces off against Maranatha Baptist Bible College at 7 p.m.
in Watertown, Wis.
