Box Score AURORA, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Senior Andrew Bruggink (Brookfield, Wis.) hit a game-winning three-pointer with just 0.4 seconds left as the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team won 71-68 over Aurora Friday night inside Thornton Gymnasium. The win was the Warriors' first over the Spartans on the road since joining the NACC.
- Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 71, Aurora 68
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (7-3, 4-1 NACC), Aurora (3-7, 2-3 NACC)
- Location: Thornton Gymnasium, Aurora, Ill.
- The Warriors scored first as sophomore Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.) hit a jump shot for the opening points of the game. A three from senior Andrew Wojcik (Brookfield, Wis.) and a layup from sophomore Zach Zuleger (West Bend, Wis.) gave WLC a 7-4 advantage three minutes into the first half.
- Midway through the opening half, Zuleger converted two more layups and Bruggink knocked down a triple to give the Warriors a 23-18 lead.
- The Spartans later tied the game at 26-26 with under five minutes to play in the half, but the Warriors built the lead back to five behind layups from junior Matty Farner (Muskego, Wis.) and VanCrete. Aurora scored five consecutive points to knot the game back at 32-32 before a bucket from Farner gave the Warriors a 34-32 lead at halftime.
- Aurora scored the first points out of the break to tie the game at 34-34. The Warriors offense heated up however, going on a 12-0 run to take a 46-34 lead with 15 minutes to play. Zuleger scored six points over the stretch while Bruggink and senior Colin Biesterfeld (West Bend, Wis.) each knocked down a three.
- The Spartans went on a run of their own to match the Warriors, scoring 15 points in the next three minutes to take a 49-47 lead over WLC. Bruggink hit a three with under 11 minutes remaining to end the run.
- With just over four minutes to play, the Spartans built a five point lead at 61-56. Freshman Trevor Stiede (Pulaski, Wis.) found a scoring spark, converting a pair of free throws and knocking down a three in a span of about thirty seconds to tie the game at 61-61 apiece.
- Neither side was able to gain an advantage in the next couple minutes, as the game was tied at 68-68 with 0:48 seconds to play. The Spartans tried to close the game with a final possession, but the Warriors were able to force a turnover with only three seconds to play.
- Following a timeout with 2.9 seconds left, the Warriors used an inbounds play in front of their bench to find Bruggink with an open look at the top of the arc. His shot fell home with 0.4 seconds remaining as the Warriors picked up a 71-68 victory.
- Bruggink and Zuleger paced the team with 18 points as the only Warriors in double figures. Farner added nine and Stiede finished with eight points off the bench.
- Zuleger recorded a double-double, adding 10 rebounds to go along with his perfect 9-of-9 shooting from the floor. Biesterfeld's five assists were a game high.
- The Warriors shot 54 percent (27-of-50) from the floor and 50 percent (9-of-18) from beyond the arc, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from deep in the second half.
- The Warriors bench had a strong performance again, out-scoring Aurora 40-23.
- The win was the first for the Warriors at Aurora in the NACC era.
- Bailey Vance led the Spartans with 14 points, while Will Hrubes finished with 11. Aurora shot 36.2 (25-of-69) from the floor and 22.2 percent (8-of-36) from three.
- The Spartans found success on the offensive glass, finishing with 14 offensive rebounds compared to the Warriors' five.
- The Warriors return to the court on Saturday, January 4 when they host Edgewood (2-6, 2-3 NACC). Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Live stats and video will be available for the game at WLCSports.com.
