Warriors Impose Their Will After Halftime To Put Away BenU

MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College bounced back from a slow start to shoot 52 percent in the second half en route to a 78-66 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference-opening win over Benedictine on Wednesday at the Time of Grace Center.

The Warriors (4-1, 1-0 NACC) missed seven of their first eight shot attempts and found themselves trailing 12-2 to the Eagles (3-2, 0-1 NACC) at the 15:23 mark of the opening half. A 6-0 scoring spurt brought WLC within four points at 14-10 with 13:12 remaining, but its deficit still hovered between four and six points for the next six-and-a-half minutes. Wisconsin Lutheran grabbed its first lead of the game with under four minutes remaining thanks to a 7-0 scoring run. BenU, however, went into halftime holding a slim 31-30 lead, as there were four lead changes and three ties over the final four minutes alone of the first half. The Warriors were held to 30 percent (9-for-30) shooting in the opening period, as freshman Dom HIll (Waukesha, Wis.) led the way with eight points.

WLC opened the second half on an 8-0 scoring run behind back-to-back three-pointers from senior Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.). Benedictine came back to grab a pair of slim leads with 14:34 left, but with the score knotted 45-45, senior Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) capped a 7-0 scoring run with a three-pointer at the 11:56 mark. BenU closed to within four points with 11:37 remaining, before senior Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) gave Wisconsin Lutheran its first double-digit lead of the contest, 62-52, with 7:04 left. The Warriors maintained the double-digit advantage for the final 3:15 of the contest. Broeckel led all scorers with 14 second-half points and the team shot 52 percent (13-for-25) over the final 20 minutes.

Broeckel posted his first double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. He was a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Goetz and Stoltz finished with 15 points apiece, while senior AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) added 11 points. WLC shot an even 40 percent (22-for-55) for the game and outscored Benedictine 21-9 off turnovers.

Trevor Montiel paced three Eagles in double-figures with 20 points and 11 rebounds. BenU shot 45.8 percent (27-for-59) from the floor for the game.

Wisconsin Lutheran travels to River Forest, Illinois on Saturday for a 2 p.m. NACC matchup against Concordia Chicago (3-3, 1-1 NACC). Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.