Box Score MEQUON, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Senior Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.) scored a game-high 25 points to lead five players in double figures, as the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat NACC foe Concordia Wisconsin 92-85 on Wednesday night inside the R. John Buuck Fieldhouse.
- Final Score: Wisconsin Lutheran 92, Concordia Wisconsin 85
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (6-1, 1-0 NACC), Concordia Wisconsin (1-5, 0-1 NACC)
- Location: R. John Buuck Fieldhouse, Mequon, Wis.
- The Falcons scored the first six points, forcing a quick Warriors timeout just two minutes into the game.
- WLC trailed 10-7 following a three-pointer from sophomore Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.), but CUW rattled off 11 straight points in the midst of an 18-4 run for a commanding 28-11 lead at the 11:47 mark of the first half.
- Wisconsin Lutheran came within nine points at 31-22, but could get no closer the rest of the half as Concordia Wisconsin led 49-34 at intermission after shooting 51.2 percent from the floor.
- The Green and White trimmed its deficit under 10 points for the first time in the second half with 16:17 left after a VanCrete slam to make the score 51-43.
- The Falcons increased their lead to 68-54 with 11:04 remaining in the game, but the Warriors used their largest scoring run to knot the score at 68-68 following back-to-back jams from senior Jon Bailey (Milwaukee, Wis.) and VanCrete.
- CUW followed with five straight points out of a timeout and held a 78-71 lead with 6:20 on the clock.
- WLC had the last answer, however, as it used another 14-1 scoring run to take its first lead of the game after a layup from sophomore Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) and capped it with a VanCrete three-pointer.
- Concordia Wisconsin came within three points at 85-82 with 0:49 seconds left, but Wisconsin Lutheran scored its final five points of the game from the charity stripe to seal the comeback win.
- VanCrete scored a game-high 25 points to pace five players in double figures. He also added eight boards.
- Stoltz finished with 13 points and six assists, while sophomores Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) and Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) added 11 points apiece.
- Bailey contributed a career-high 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
- The Green and White shot 58.1 percent from the floor in the second half and finished at 44.4 percent for the game. The Warriors' 45.0 percent shooting performance from downtown was a season-high.
- WLC out-scored the Falcons 16-6 in points off turnovers and 18-9 in second chance points.
- "I can't think of a better way to start conference play than by winning on the road against a rival in a hostile environment and overcoming the adversity of a double-digit deficit. It's a long journey, but we can build on this." - Head Coach Aaron Aanonsen
- The Warriors continue their conference-opening road trip on Saturday when they travel to Madison for a matchup with Edgewood (0-5, 0-1 NACC). Tip-off is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Live coverage links will be available for the game at WLCSports.com.
