Box Score MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – The Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team battled back from an eight-point deficit with 1:42 remaining in the second half to tie the game with 0:16 seconds left, but a late Concordia Chicago three-pointer sent the Cougars to a 79-76 win over the Warriors on Monday night inside the Recreation Complex. WLC celebrated its six seniors during a pregame ceremony in Jon Bailey (Milwaukee, Wis.), Isaiah Lenz (Oconomowoc, Wis.), Alex VanCrete (Green Lake, Wis.), Drew Bernhagen (Markesan, Wis.), Anthony Mendoza (San Diego, Calif.), and Braden Beiermann (Lincoln, Neb.).
- Final Score: Concordia Chicago 79, Wisconsin Lutheran 76
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (15-8, 10-7 NACC), Concordia Chicago (13-9, 10-6 NACC)
- Location: Recreation Complex, Milwaukee, Wis.
- The Warriors held a 15-10 lead over the Cougars six minutes into the game after a Bernhagen three-pointer. It was the third five-point lead of the early going for WLC.
- A Simeon Strauss (Chicago, Ill.) three gave Wisconsin Lutheran an 18-15 lead, but a 12-0 run from CUC put the visitors ahead 27-18 with 9:06 left before halftime. The margin was Concordia Chicago's largest lead of the game.
- The Green and White battled back to within a point at 35-34 after a jumper from Strauss, but the Cougars went into halftime in front 42-38.
- The Warriors trailed by a point at 46-45 at the 17:02 mark and again 55-54 following a 7-0 run with 11:34 left to play. The deficit hovered between one and five points over the next five minutes.
- WLC faced a 74-66 deficit with 1:42 remaining, but a three-point play from VanCrete, a three from sophomore Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.), a free throw from sophomore Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.), and a three from junior Trevor Stiede (Pulaski, Wis.) suddenly tied the game at 76-76 with 0:16 seconds left.
- CUC had a second chance opportunity on its next possession and knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer from the right wing with six seconds left. Wisconsin Lutheran was fouled and missed both free throws, but an offensive board led to one last game-tying opportunity, but a Stoltz three was off the mark as time expired.
- VanCrete finished with 12 points to lead the Green and White, while Stoltz added 11. Goetz totaled eight rebounds and four assists, both team highs.
- The Warriors shot 45 percent from the floor, but went 7-for-25 from three and 15-for-22 from the charity stripe.
- The Warriors will await the remainder of Wednesday's conference games for their NACC Tournament seed to be determined. First round games begin on Saturday, February 19 with five games at campus sites.
