Men's Basketball Suffers Second Straight Setback

AURORA, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – A late second-half run cost the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team as it concluded the 2016 calendar year with a tough 86-77 loss against Aurora on Saturday afternoon on Lancaster Court.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Aurora 86, Wisconsin Lutheran 77
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (6-4, 4-2 NACC), Aurora (7-3, 5-1 NACC)
• Location: Thornton Gymnasium, Aurora, Ill. | Attendance: 97

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Warriors started off the game slow as Aurora held an early 16-8 lead through the first seven minutes of action. 
• After the Spartans extended their lead to 27-16 with 6:11 remaining in the half, WLC used a 12-0 run to take its first lead of the contest.
• The rest of the half went back-and-forth between the two teams and the score was knotted at 37 apiece going into the break. 
• WLC shot 39.4 percent from the field and was led by 14 points from Tanner Schieve (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) in the first half. 
• Aurora shot just 29.4 percent from the field but benefitted from 13 made free throws. 
• WLC opened up its lead to four points, its largest of the game, at 48-44 with 15:38 remaining in regulation. 
• After going back-and-forth, Colin Biesterfeld (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) cut the AU lead to four at 62-58 with 8:43 to play, but the Spartans answered with a 15-8 run to put the game out of reach. The Spartans' lead was no less than seven points down the stretch.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Schieve led all scorers with 23 points while adding nine rebounds with six assists. Collin Kennedy (Holmen, Wis./Luther) had 19 points with seven boards. Tyler De Young (Waupun, Wis./Central Wisconsin Christian) contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.
• The Warriors shot 45.3 percent from the floor (29-for-64), but struggled from the charity stripe, making just 13 of 21 free throws. 
• Aurora shot 39.1 percent (25-for-64) from the field, but made six more three-point attempts and went 24-for-28 from the line. 
• WLC controlled the boards, out-rebounding AU 46-34. The Spartans held a big advantage in turnovers forced, 18-7, and bench points, 39-13. 
• The Spartans had a balanced attack on offense with five players reaching double figures. Ty Carlson led the way with 17 for the hosts.

UP NEXT

• The Warriors will begin 2017 with a trip to Madison on Wednesday night for a NACC contest against Edgewood (2-8, 2-3 NACC). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Eagles are coming off a winter break trip to Daytona Beach where they dropped both matchups, and have lost five straight overall. Links to live stats and video will be available at WLCSports.com.