HANCOCK, Mich. (WLCSports.com) - Five players scored in double figures as Wisconsin Lutheran College matched its highest point total in nearly 15 years in a 118-76 non-conference win over Finlandia on Wednesday at the Paavo Nurmi Center.
The Warriors (11-6), who torched the nets in the first half behind 63 percent shooting from the floor and 72 percent from beyond the arc, broke their fourth tie through the opening three-and-half-minutes with the Lions (3-16) thanks to a 15-0 scoring run. WLC opened up a 25-10 lead at the 12:18 mark and built its first 20-point advantage shortly after during the midst of an 8-0 scoring run following a three-pointer from junior
Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) to make the score 35-14.
Wisconsin Lutheran, which led by as least 30 points for the final 5:05 of the first half, used an 18-3 scoring surge to send its lead to 35 points at 55-20 with 4:24 remaining before halftime. The Warriors led by as many as 37 twice within the final two minutes of the half before heading into intermission with a 66-31 lead.
WLC's lead reached 40 points for the first time within the first two-and-a-half minutes of the second half after junior
Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.) knocked down of his three triples on the night. Freshman
Peyton Mrotek (Luxemburg, Wis.) gave Wisconsin Lutheran a game-high 48-point lead on a layup with 8:51 left. The margin never dipped below 40 points from that point forward. No starter played more than seven minutes in the second half, as a total of 12 players found the scoring column over the final 20 minutes.Â
Stoltz scored 20 points and dished out five assists to lead five players in double figures for the Warriors. Freshman
Ja'Quell Chisom (Milwaukee, Wis.) followed with a season-high 15 points off the bench. Hefle, senior
Simeon Strauss (Chicago, Ill.), and junior
AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) added 14, 13, and 11 points, respectively.
WLC shot 52.6 percent (41-for-78) from the floor and a season-high 54.5 percent (18-for-33) from three-point range. Wisconsin Lutheran matched its highest point total since February 12, 2008, while also posting season highs for field goals made (41), three-pointers made (18), and rebounds (53).
John Schultz scored a team-high 20 points to pace a pair of players in double figures for the Lions, who shot 41 percent (25-for-61) for the game.
The Warriors return to conference play on Saturday for a 2 p.m. NACCÂ road matchup against Concordia Chicago (8-2, 5-5 NACC). Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.
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