Box Score
Box score
WATERTOWN, Wis. - In what is deemed as the
longest game in NAC history, freshman Andy Thusius (Kenosha,
Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) hit a go-ahead jumper with six seconds
left in the second overtime period to give Wisconsin Lutheran
College an 88-87 victory over Maranatha Baptist Bible College on
Friday night to punch its ticket to the 2011 NAC Tournament which
begins next Wednesday.
MBBC scored the first two points of the game but it was the only
lead the hosts would have in regulation time. The Warriors held a
slim lead over the Crusaders for the majority of the first half.
With 3:34 remaining, WLC ended the first half on an 8-2 run to take
an 11-point lead into halftime, 38-27.
WLC shot poorly from three-point range going just 1-for-10, but
still managed to shoot 52 percent (17-for-33) from the field in the
first half.
The second half saw both teams trading baskets for the majority
of the half as the Warriors held between a seven and game-high
13-point lead. With 2:53 remaining in the second half, the
Crusaders went on a 10-1 run to close out the game and a late
lay-up by Maranatha's Brendan Brown with :.9 seconds left sent the
game into overtime at 72-72.
WLC shot 44 percent (11-for-25) from the field, while shooting
only 45 percent (9-for-20) from the charity strip.
The first five minute overtime contained back-and-forth action
as both teams claimed slim one-point leads. With 3:40 left in the
first overtime, MBBC was up one, 76-75. After 3:21 of scoreless
action, DJ Cupertino (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) hit the second of two
free throws with :19 seconds left to tie the game 76-76 and send
the game into an extra session.
In the second overtime period, the Crusaders held an early lead,
80-78. WLC would come back to take the lead twice, both by one
point, but MBBC scored five unanswered to lead 87-83 with just :33
seconds remaining. Tim Demuth (Franksville, Wis./Racine Lutheran)
hit a three pointer from well beyond the arc with :28 seconds left
to bring WLC within one. With six seconds left, Thusius hit the
game winning shot from the left wing and Wisconsin Lutheran held on
for the 88-87 victory.
Junior Alex Merbach (Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran), who
fouled out of the game after playing just 22 minutes, scored a
game-high 20 points to lead WLC. Thusius contributed 16 points,
while Cupertino and Jeremy Murphy (Chicago, Ill./Clemente) added 12
and 10, respectively. Thusius and Murphy also grabbed seven
rebounds each, despite WLC being outrebounded 50-33. Demuth added
five assists as the Warriors trailed the Crusaders in the category,
16-14. However, WLC won the turnover battle 25-14.
MBBC (7-17, 2-14 NAC) had five players in double figures. Joel
Borchardt had a team-high 18 points, Josh Stein added 16 and Matt
McGivern and Brendan Brown each contributed 14 points. Tim Shelp
finished with 11. Stein pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for his
league-leading 17th double-double of the season.
Wisconsin Lutheran (5-19, 4-12 NAC) returns to action Saturday
afternoon hosting Rockford College (9-14, 6-10 NAC) in a NAC
Challenge Game at the Recreation Complex. Tip-Off is scheduled for
4:15 p.m. The game will determine the overall seven and eight seeds
in the NAC Tournament.
