MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College couldn't hold onto a four-point lead with 1:22 left, as Loras rattled off nine consecutive points to escape the Time of Grace Center with a 76-71 non-conference win on New Year's Eve Saturday in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
Neither team held more than a five-point lead in a back-and-forth first half that featured seven lead changes and six ties. The Warriors (6-6) held their biggest lead of the opening 20 minutes at 10-7 after a pair of free throws from junior
Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.). Five straight points from the Duhawks (9-3) gave them a 24-19 advantage, their largest of the half. A three-pointer from Hefle with 0:14 seconds before halftime tied the score at 31-31 at intermission.
The second half began with both teams exchanging buckets in the first two minutes. LC broke away from a 35-35 tie with seven straight points for a 42-35 lead at the 16:34 mark. After trailing by seven, junior
Ryan Broeckel's (Chilton, Wis.) layup pulled WLC within two points at 50-48 with 10:52 remaining. A 9-2 run from Loras lifted its lead to a game-high nine points with 8:46 to play. Wisconsin Lutheran closed to within three points at 62-59 following a three from junior
Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) with just over five minutes remaining.
Trailing 65-61 with 3:42 on the clock, the Warriors scored eight straight points, including six in a row from Hefle, to lead by four with 1:22 left. The Duhawks answered with a 9-0 run of their own and made their last six free throws attempts for a 76-71 win over WLC.
Broeckel led all players in the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Hefle finished with 18 points, while Goetz added 13. Junior
Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.) tallied eight points and six assists. Wisconsin Lutheran shot 40.0 percent (26-for-65) from the floor, but committed 18 turnovers.Â
Ali Sabet paced four players in double figures with 18 points for Loras, which shot 39.7 percent (25-for-63) from the floor.Â
The Warriors travel to De Pere on Tuesday for a NACC matchup against St. Norbert (7-5, 4-1 NACC) at 7 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.
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