Warriors Drop Overtime Thriller To Cougars

RIVER FOREST, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – In a game that featured 46 lead changes and 30 ties, the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team dropped its first conference contest of the season, falling 116-113 in overtime against Concordia Chicago Saturday afternoon inside Geiseman Gymnasium.

• Final Score: Concordia Chicago 116, Wisconsin Lutheran 113 (OT)
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (4-3, 2-1 NACC), Concordia Chicago (2-4, 2-2 NACC)
• Location: Geiseman Gymnasium, River Forest, Ill.

• Two-and-a-half minutes into the game, the Cougars took an early three-point lead at 8-5. The Warriors then rattled off the next 11 points to take a 16-8 advantage. Senior Andrew Bruggink (Brookfield, Wis.) converted a pair of layups and junior Caleb Goldstein (Fond du Lac, Wis.) knocked down a triple during the run.
• CUC battled back and tied the game at 18-18 two minutes later before gaining a one-point advantage on a free throw. Both teams went back-and-forth, and the game was tied at 24 apiece with just over 11 minutes remaining in the first half.
• Freshman Trevor Stiede (Pulaski, Wis.) broke the tie with a three pointer off a nice pass by senior Colin Biesterfeld (West Bend, Wis.) to give WLC a three-point lead. Layups from junior Matty Farner (Muskego, Wis.) and Bruggink pushed the Warriors lead back to five at 31-26.
• The Warriors built their advantage up to seven points with under eight to play in the half after Farner and Goldstein hit a pair of free throws. A jumper by Bruggink and a layup by sophomore Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.) gave WLC its largest lead of the game at 41-32.
• The Cougars kept pace for the remainder of the half, even closing the gap down to just one at 52-51 with a minute-and-a-half remaining. Junior Randy Johnson Jr. (Milwaukee, Wis.) made a free throw and Bruggink hit a jumper just before halftime to give the Warriors a four-point lead, 55-51, heading into the break.
• The second half opened and neither team was able to gain much of an advantage, and the score was tied at 65-65 five minutes in. Bruggink and VanCrete were able to get WLC's lead back to four, but the Cougars came right back and took a one-point lead at 72-71.
• Stiede and Goldstein each knocked down threes on consecutive possession to give WLC the lead back at 81-80 with under 10 minutes to play. Senior Andrew Wojcik (Brookfield, Wis.) drained a pair of free throws as the Warriors held a three-point advantage.
• Wisconsin Lutheran was able to extend its lead back to nine with less than six minutes remaining, using an 8-0 run to match its largest lead of the game. Wojcik and Farner had two successful trips to the charity stripe and Bruggink made a layup over the stretch.
• Concordia Chicago clawed its way back and found themselves trailing by two with two minutes remaining. Bruggink hit a free throw to give the Warriors a three-point lead, but Raushaun Amos hit a three with eight second remaining in regulation to tie the game at 100-100 and send it to overtime.
• Concordia Chicago took the lead early in overtime with a quick three-pointer but the Warriors tied the game at 104 on a layup by Farner. Thirty seconds later, Goldstein gave WLC a lead at 106-105 with a runner through the lane.
• The Cougars found success from the line in the extra period, making four free throws to give the hosts a five-point lead at 113-108. Goldstein hit a three to close the gap back to two, but another free throw make extended it back to three.
• Sophomore Zach Zuleger (West Bend, Wis.) was able to gather an offensive rebound and finish a put-back to get WLC back within one, but the Cougars closed the game from the line and won 116-113.

• Bruggink paced the Warriors with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting while gathering 10 rebounds for the double-double. Goldstein added 19 and Farner had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Zuleger finished with 14 points off the bench, while VanCrete and Stiede added 12 and 10 respectively to round out the six Warriors in double figures.
• WLC shot 50.0 percent (40-of-80) from the floor and 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from three. The Green and White finished 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the line, with Wojcik going a perfect 6-of-6 from the stripe.
• Bruggink finished with a game-high five assists while Wojcik added four. The Warriors defense recorded nine steals and three blocks, while forcing 15 turnovers.

• Jalen Meeks led the Cougars with a game-high 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting while recording 10 rebounds for the double-double. Landen Gladney also finished with a double-double, totaling 21 points and 12 rebounds.
• The Cougars shot 47.7 percent (42-of-88) from the floor and 30.3 percent (10-of-33) from beyond the arc and finished strong on the offensive glass, leading the Warriors 21-16 in that category.

• The Warriors are back home next Saturday when they host Dominican (2-4, 0-3 NACC) in a NACC matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at WLCSports.com.