MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College used a dominant second half to pull away from UW-Superior for a 73-61 non-conference victory on Tuesday at Time of Grace Center.
The Warriors (2-4) shot 49.1 percent from the floor while holding the Yellowjackets to 36.4 percent, fueled by strong performances from senior
Ja'Quell Chisom (Milwaukee, Wis.) and sophomore
Lucas Anamndu (Buffalo Grove, Ill.). Chisom led all scorers with 20 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, while Anamndu finished with 16 points. UW-Superior's (0-5) Rocco Paulson countered with 16 points and eight boards.
The opening half featured long stretches of back-and-forth play, with neither team creating much separation. WLC held the lead from the opening tip, but UW-Superior countered each time, including an 8-0 surge that erased the hosts' first-half high seven-point lead and gave the Yellowjackets their first lead at 19-18. Chisom scored Wisconsin Lutheran's final five points of the opening half to give them a slim 28-27 lead at halftime.
The second half swung fully in the Warriors' favor. After UW-Superior knocked down an early three to reclaim the lead, WLC answered immediately with a three-point connection from sophomore
Sam Hans (Hartland, Wis.) and never trailed from there. Chisom's activity around the rim, a transition layup from sophomore
Pierce Arenz (Kiel, Wis.), and a triple from junior
Trey Luehring (Cedarburg, Wis.) highlighted a powerful stretch that allowed Wisconsin Lutheran to rebuild a two-possession advantage. The Warriors then delivered the decisive run of the night midway through the half, stringing together stops and turning turnovers into points during a 14-2 surge. Freshman
Isaiah Mellock (Greendale, Wis.) and senior
Austin Wagner (Jackson, Wis.) sparked the push with transition baskets, and WLC's pressure defense repeatedly forced giveaways that Wisconsin Lutheran converted into fast-break scores. The lead grew to a game-high 20 with just over four minutes remaining, and the Warriors maintained control the rest of the way.
Chisom's 20 points led a WLC offense that shot an efficient 51.6 percent in the second half. Hans matched Chisom with seven rebounds, and Wagner added 12 points. Luehring chipped in 10 points. Wisconsin Lutheran controlled several key specialty categories, including a 13-7 advantage in fast-break points, a 13-12 edge in second-chance scoring, a 30-26 margin in points in the paint, and generated 21 points off 18 UW-Superior turnovers.
Paulson's 16 points and eight rebounds paced the Yellowjackets, while Micah Young contributed 12.
Wisconsin Lutheran returns to action on Wednesday, December 3, when it travels to Aurora for a 7 p.m. NACC-opening matchup. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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