Box Score
Box score
WATERTOWN, Wis. - Nate Bauer (Lake Mills,
Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) scored 25 points to lead four players in
double figures as the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball
team won its first Northern Athletics Conference game Friday night,
86-75, over Maranatha in Watertown, Wis.
The Warriors got rolling right away as they jumped out to a 7-0
lead just 1:36 into the game. The Crusaders (2-5, 0-4 NAC) scored
the next basket, but Wisconsin Lutheran put together another 7-0
spurt to take an early 14-2 advantage. Andy Thusius (Kenosha,
Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) scored six of the Warriors' first 14
points.
Wisconsin Lutheran built its lead to as many as 16 points in the
opening half on its way to a 43-33 halftime lead. Maranatha never
held a lead in the contest.
In the second half, Maranatha cut the lead to five points with
11:31 remaining in the game, however Bauer knocked down a
three-point shot after that to put the Warriors back up by eight
points. The Crusaders knocked the lead back down to six points a
couple more times, but that was as close as they would get as the
Warriors rolled to the 11-point victory.
Bauer was one of four Warriors players to score in double
figures as he poured in a game-high 25 points, including an
impressive 13-for-14 from the free throw line. Alex Merbach
(Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) posted a double-double for WLC
with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Thusius and Tim Demuth
(Franksville, Wis./Racine Lutheran) chipped in with 15 and 10
points, respectively. Bauer also added a team-best four
assists.
The host Crusaders were led by Caleb Burch as he came off the
bench to score 21 points. Joel Borchardt added 13 points and was
one of three Maranatha players to finish with a team-best six
rebounds.
The Warriors defense played solid all night as they forced 22
Crusaders turnovers, compared to turning the ball over just 15
times themselves.
Wisconsin Lutheran (2-9, 1-2 NAC) is off for the remainder of
2011 and won't return to the court until January 5 when it hosts
Concordia Chicago in a league matchup. That game between the
Warriors and Cougars is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. at the Recreation
Complex.
