Box Score MEQUON, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Sophomore Drew Bernhagen (Markesan, Wis.) scored a career-high 30 points, but the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team couldn't quite overcome a 17-point deficit in the second half as the Warriors fell 102-94 to NACC foe Concordia Wisconsin on Wednesday night inside the R. John Buuck Field House. The loss snapped WLC's seven-game winning streak but still leaves them in a tie for first place in the NACC standings with three games left to play.
- Final Score: Concordia Wisconsin 102, Wisconsin Lutheran 94
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (17-5, 14-3 NACC), Concordia Wisconsin (14-8, 13-4 NACC)
- Location: R. John Buuck Field House, Mequon, Wis.
- The Falcons scored the first seven points of the game to force a Warriors timeout and the hosts led 9-1 with 3:03 gone by in the first half.
- A 9-2 run by WLC, highlighted by a two-handed slam from sophomore Zach Zuleger (West Bend, Wis.) at the 14:15 mark, forced a CUW timeout.
Concordia Wisconsin pulled ahead by eight after scoring seven straight for an 18-10 lead with 12:11 left in the half, forcing Wisconsin Lutheran to take its second timeout of the opening period.
- Eight straight points from Bernhagen and a jumper from senior Andrew Wojcik (Brookfield, Wis.) brought the Green and White to within a point at 25-24.
- The Warriors took their first lead of the game at 31-29 with 6:05 left before halftime on a three from Wojcik. The Falcons used an 8-2 run to take the lead back at 37-33.
- The hosts then scored the final seven points of the half over 2:41 to carry a 48-38 lead into halftime and pull ahead from a three-point lead.
- CUW netted seven points within the first minute of the second half to take a game-high 17-point lead.
- The Warriors cut that deficit down to just six points with 15:18 left after a three-point play from sophomore Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.).
- Concordia Wisconsin answered with seven straight for a 13-point lead and later led by 14 with 9:12 to play. WLC responded with a 15-4 run, highlighted by consecutive threes from Bernhagen, to cut its deficit to just three points at 80-77 with 5:19 on the clock.
- The Falcons scored the next six points to swing the momentum back its direction and Wisconsin Lutheran couldn't get any closer than five points with 2:44 left as CUW went 5-for-6 from the line down the stretch to close out the win.
- Bernhagen led all scorers with 30 points off the bench, including 21 in the first half. Senior Andrew Bruggink (Brookfield, Wis.) scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, while VanCrete and senior Colin Biesterfeld (West Bend, Wis.) added 10 points apiece, all coming in the second half.
- Junior Matty Farner (Muskego, Wis.) led all players with eight rebounds, while Colin Biesterfeld distributed four assists. Bruggink had four of WLC's eight steals.
- The Warriors shot 51.4 percent (38-for-74) for the game, but were just 6-for-21 from three-point range.
- WLC out-rebounded CUW 35-34 and out-scored the hosts 52-44 in the paint.
- Jordan Johnson scored 33 points, including 14 from the free throw line, to lead five Falcons in double figures. CUW shot 54.8 percent (34-for-62) for the game, including 59.3 percent in the second half.
- The Falcons made 27 of 36 free throw attempts and blocked a total of 10 shots.
- The Warriors look to bounce back on Saturday when they travel to Marian (4-18, 3-14 NACC) for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off. Live stats and video will be available for the game at WLCSports.com.
