Box Score
Box score
FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Senior forward Alex Merbach
(Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) scored a career-high 39 points
to surpass 1,000 for his career, but the Marian Sabres overcame a
15-point deficit in the second half and escaped with a 60-59 win
over the Warriors on Wednesday night at the Sadoff Gymnasium. The
loss eliminates WLC from the upcoming Northern Athletics Conference
Tournament.
The Warriors never trailed in the first half as they jumped out
to a 13-3 lead at the 15:10 mark after Merbach scored nine straight
points for WLC. The 10-point margin tied for WLC's largest lead of
the opening half. Wisconsin Lutheran led 19-10 with 10:58
remaining, before Marian scored nine straight points to cut its
deficit to just one point at 19-18.
WLC responded with a 9-0 run of its own to take a 28-18
advantage with 5:54 left before halftime. The Warriors remained in
control the rest of the half and went into the locker room ahead
36-27.
Wisconsin Lutheran, which shot 44 percent (15-for-34) in the
first half and 5-for-11 from three-point range. committed just
three turnovers. Merbach led all scorers with 22 points on
10-for-15 shooting with five rebounds. The Sabres, who went
9-for-20 (45 percent) from the floor, turned the ball over 14
times. Mike Keller netted a team-high 11 points for Marian.
After out-scoring the Sabres 10-4 over the first 7:48 of the
second half, the Warriors held a game-high 15-point lead at 46-31.
Merbach's milestone basket came at the 17:34 mark as he became the
18th player in men's basketball history to reach the 1,000
career-point plateau. Shortly after its largest lead of the game,
WLC was held scoreless for nearly 5:30. Marian trimmed its deficit
to just one point at 48-47 and then tied the game for the first
time at 50-50 with 4:06 to play. The Warriors twice after held a
two-point lead before Marian took its first lead of the game at
55-54 with 3:06 remaining.
WLC came back to grab leads of 57-55 and 59-57 before Sam
Koslowski tied the game up for Marian at 59-59. The Warriors turned
the ball over on the following inbounds play and MU took possession
with 39 seconds left. Mike Keller was fouled with nine seconds on
the clock and knocked down one free throw, before the Warriors had
one final chance to come away with the victory.
Following a timeout with six seconds to play, Russell Strutz's
(Sturtevant, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) jumped just inside the
three-point line from the left side caromed off the rim and Marian
grabbed the rebound for the heartbreaking 60-59 defeat.
The Warriors shot just 24.1 percent (7-for-29) in the second
half, compared to the Sabres' stellar 52 percent (13-for-25).
Merbach finished the game with a career-high 39 points and was
the only Warrior to reach double figures. He also grabbed a
team-high nine rebounds. Merbach's previous career high was 31
points scored a season ago at Aurora. For the game, the Warriors
shot 34.9 percent (22-for-63) from the floor. They out-scored the
Sabres 25-10 in points off turnovers, while committing a season-low
nine miscues.
Cody Veleke scored 18 points to pace three players in double
figures for Marian (9-13, 6-8 NAC), which shot 48.9 percent
(22-for-45) for the game. Mike Keller added a double-double with 16
points and 12 rebounds. The two teams combined to shoot 21-for-23
from the free throw line.
Wisconsin Lutheran (5-17, 4-10 NAC) travels to Madison, Wis. on
Saturday to face Edgewood (16-5, 10-3 NAC). Game time is scheduled
for 4:15 p.m. at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. Fans unable to attend the
game can follow the action via live audio, stats and video at
wlcsports.com.
