Warriors Cash In At Stripe To Ice Season Lid-Lifter

MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – Senior Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.) scored a game-high 22 points and the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team went 18-for-21 from the free throw line in the second half en route to an 81-73 season-opening win over Northwestern-St. Paul on Friday night inside the Recreation Complex. 

• Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 81, Northwestern-St. Paul 73
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (1-0), Northwestern-St. Paul (0-1)
• Location: Recreation Complex, Milwaukee, Wis.

• The Eagles held an early 5-2 lead over the Warriors at the 17:27 mark of the first half. It was their largest lead of the game.
• Following a pair of ties, junior Simeon Strauss (Chicago, Ill.) drained a three to give WLC a 15-14 lead that they would never relinquish.
• Sophomore Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) gave Wisconsin Lutheran its first double-digit lead at 25-14 following another three with 8:45 left until halftime.
• The Green and White pushed its lead to a game-high 14 points twice in the first half before heading into halftime ahead 44-34.
• The Warriors led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but a 9-2 run by UNW brought them to within four points with 10:40 left in the game.
• A three from VanCrete out of a timeout sparked a personal 5-0 scoring spurt and a nine-point lead.
• WLC later increased its lead to a second-half high 12 points at 70-58 with 6:12 on the clock. 
• UNW trimmed its deficit to five points at the four-minute mark, but Wisconsin Lutheran was able to close out the game from the charity stripe for an 81-73 win.
• VanCrete led three players in double figures with a game-high 22 points. Senior Drew Bernhagen (Markesan, Wis.) added 16 points, while Hefle chipped in with 10 off the bench.
• The Warriors were held to 40.7 percent shooting but made up for that at the free throw line where they shot 27-for-34 for 79.4 percent.
• WLC forced 17 turnovers and turned them into a 20-11 advantage in points off turnovers.

• "I was proud of our effort and intentionality on the defensive end. Northwestern is a well-coached, great team, and we did a nice job containing their leading scorers." - Head Coach Aaron Aanonsen

• The Warriors face a quick turnaround when they host North Central (Minn.) (0-1) tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. Live coverage links will be available for the game at WLCSports.com.

MBB: @WLC_MBB 81, Northwestern-St. Paul 73

⚔️ @AlVanCrete scores game-high 22 points to lead Warriors
⚔️ @bernhagenballer and Jacob Hefle add 16 and 10 points each
⚔️ WLC goes 18-for-21 from the free throw line in the second half#WeAreWarriors #d3hoops pic.twitter.com/LaDVank1OP

— WLC Warriors (@WLCSports) November 6, 2021

You are looking live… One hour until the tip of the ⁦@WLC_MBB⁩ season! Check out all of the season's action at ⁦@WLCSports⁩ ! #officialscorer #keepingitfair #WeAreWarriors pic.twitter.com/EtHMOX6rOy

— Wayne Shevey (@RevShevWLC) November 5, 2021

�� GAMEDAY ��
�� |https://t.co/sQNRrMYdfK
�� | @unwmbb
�� | (Home) WLC
⌚️ | 7:00 PM CDT#WeAreWarriors ��⚔️ pic.twitter.com/SxDtZCx6cx

— WLC Men's Basketball (@WLC_MBB) November 5, 2021

MBB: The two-time defending NACC champs, @WLC_MBB, open their season at home TONIGHT!

��: Northwestern-St. Paul
��: Nov. 5, 2021
��: Time of Grace Center
⏰: 7 p.m.
��: https://t.co/0niRTPKUGE
��: https://t.co/8K9XZAAkpU
��: https://t.co/DAW6DswoMA#d3hoops pic.twitter.com/H7BD1NXmku

— WLC Warriors (@WLCSports) November 5, 2021