AURORA, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College opened Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Wednesday but was unable to keep pace with Aurora's high-powered offense, falling 96-81 at Thornton Gymnasium. The Warriors shot 48 percent from the floor, but the Spartans countered with a blistering 57 percent performance and five double-digit scorers to hand WLC its first conference loss of the season.
AU set the tone early with a 7-2 start and continued to stretch its lead behind 50 percent shooting, including 5-for-8 from three-point range in the first half. Wisconsin Lutheran found consistent opening-half production from senior
Ja'Quell Chisom (Milwaukee, Wis.) and junior
Trey Luehring (Cedarburg, Wis.), who scored 11 points apiece in the first half. After trailing by as many as 11 midway through the half, the Warriors trimmed the margin to five multiple times, but Aurora doubled up WLC 10-5 over the final three minutes for a 48-38 halftime lead.
The two teams traded baskets for the first five minutes of the second half, and Wisconsin Lutheran trailed by seven at 58-51 following a jumper from Luehring. The Spartans responded with an 8-0 scoring run for a 15-point lead, but the Warriors battled back to within seven points with nine-and-a-half minutes remaining at 70-63. AU answered right back again with a 9-0 run to extend its lead to 16 points, before eventually building its largest lead of 23 points with just over two minutes remaining to close out the 15-point victory.
Chisom led WLC with a career-high 21 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Luehring finished with a career-high 19 points and five boards. Sophomore
Lucas Anamndu (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and freshman
Bryce Appel (Edgerton, Wis.) added nine points each. As a team, Wisconsin Lutheran shot 47.9 percent (34-for-71) from the field.
Aurora (4-3, 1-1 NACC) was led by Cullen Rauls' 27 points. Juan Madrigal added 25 points and seven rebounds, and Jeffery Hillmer scored 18. Devon Richardson anchored the Spartans inside with a game-high 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. Mekhi Doby and Zerrick Johnson also tallied 11 points each. AU shot 57.1 percent from the floor (36-for-63) and 53.3 percent (8-for-15) from beyond the arc (8-for-15).
The Warriors (2-5, 0-1 NACC) return home on Saturday, December 6, to host Lakeland (2-4, 0-2 NACC) at 1 p.m. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
