Blueboys Hold Off Late Rally From Men's Basketball

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Illinois College's Josh Harris scored a game-high 30 points and the Blueboys never trailed in the second half in an 81-74 win over Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday in the championship game of the Bill Merris Tournament at Sherman Gymnasium.

The Warriors (2-2) and Blueboys (4-1) exchanged leads 18 times throughout a back-and-forth first half, which also featured three ties. WLC held a three-point lead, its largest of the game, after a layup from sophomore Nathaniel Luebke (Valders, Wis.) at the 9:25 mark.

A jumper from junior Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) with 3:19 left in the half gave Wisconsin Lutheran a 29-28 lead. IC answered with a 13-0 scoring run to take its largest lead of the game of 12 points. The Warriors scored the final five points of the half to trail 41-34 at the break. 

WLC trailed 49-43 following a layup from junior Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.) after Illinois College had matched its largest lead of the game two-and-a-half minutes into the second half.

The Blueboys built their last of five 12-point leads in the second half with 4:51 remaining at 73-61. A three-pointer from Stoltz with 1:29 left capped an 8-0 run to bring Wisconsin Lutheran within just three points at 76-73. The Warriors couldn't get any closer the rest of the way, as IC made five of its last six three throw attempts, while holding WLC without a field goal.

Junior Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) led four players in double figures for Wisconsin Lutheran with 18 points. Goetz finished with 13 points and eight assists, while junior AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) also scored 13. Stoltz chipped in 12 points. Both Goetz and Hefle were named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Warriors shot 41.3 percent from the floor and made at least 10 three-pointers for the fourth straight game. WLC, which out-scored IC 28-10 in points off turnovers, struggled from the charity stripe, making 12 of 23 attempts.

Josh Harris scored a game-high 30 points off the bench to lead three players in double figures for Illinois College, which shot an even 50 percent for the game and won the rebounding battle 44-30.

Wisconsin Lutheran continues non-conference play on Tuesday when it travels to UW-Stevens Point (3-1) for a 7 p.m. tip-off. It'll be the first matchup with the Pointers since 2009. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.