Broeckel's Double-Double Delivers WLC Fifth Straight League Win

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WLCSports.com) - Junior Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) scored 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as Wisconsin Lutheran College held off a late Rockford run for a 75-71 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference road win on Saturday at the Seaver Center. 

The Warriors (8-6, 6-2 NACC) missed on their first six shot attempts of the game and trailed the Regents (6-7, 2-5 NACC) 6-2 three minutes into action. Broeckel capped a 6-0 scoring run to give WLC its first lead of the game at 8-6. A layup from junior Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.) at the 9:16 mark capped a 9-0 Wisconsin Lutheran scoring run to erase an 11-8 deficit.

The Warriors held a first-half best eight-point lead at 25-17 with 5:28 remaining following junior Grayson Goetz's (Aurora, Ill.) free throw. RU responded with a 9-0 scoring run of its own to take a brief 26-25 lead, forcing a WLC timeout. Wisconsin Lutheran answered with six straight points out of the timeout and carried a 33-29 lead into halftime.

The teams exchanged buckets over the first two minutes of the second half before the Warriors' lead reached double-digits for the first time with 15:53 remaining, as a senior Simeon Strauss (Chicago, Ill.) jumper gave WLC a 45-35 advantage. A 9-1 scoring run put Wisconsin Lutheran in front by a game-high 15 points at 56-41 with 12:08 left. The margin remained at 15 points at the 8:21 mark after a jumper from junior AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.).

A 13-1 scoring run by Rockford brought them within a point at 67-66 with 2:11 remaining, forcing a timeout from Wisconsin Lutheran. The Warriors answered with five straight points and the Regents would get no closer than two over the final 1:04. WLC clinched the game at the charity stripe, making its last six attempts.

Broeckel registered his sixth double-double of the season with 28 points and 12 rebounds along with four blocked shots to lead Wisconsin Lutheran. Goetz finished with 14 points and Stoltz added 12 to round out the double-digit scorers. The Warriors shot 44.8 percent (30-for-67) from the floor and tied a season high with seven blocks. 

Micah Swanson scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Regents, who shot 37.3 percent (25-for-67) from the floor.

WLC returns to Milwaukee for its first home game of 2023 on Tuesday, hosting cross-town NACC foe MSOE (8-5, 4-2 NACC) at 7 p.m. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.