Broeckel's Big First Half Catapults WLC To First-Ever NCAA Tournament Triumph

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Graduate Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) posted his 11th double-double of the season with 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 22 Wisconsin Lutheran College to a 73-61 NCAA Tournament First Round win over No. 11 Calvin on Friday at Williams Fieldhouse.

The Warriors (26-3), who recorded their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, snapped Calvin's 20-game winning streak, the longest active streak in NCAA Division III.

The Knights scored four quick points to take a 4-0 lead over WLC less than a minute into the first half. Wisconsin Lutheran responded with a 10-0 scoring run behind six points from Broeckel. After a basket by CU, the Warriors rattled off 15 straight points for their biggest run of the game to lead 25-6 with 9:19 remaining. Calvin collected the next seven points, but WLC maintained a double-digit advantage for the final 12 minutes of the opening half. The Knights came as close as 10 points at 30-20 with 2:27 left, but Wisconsin Lutheran capped the first half with eight consecutive points for an 18-point halftime cushion. Broeckel outscored CU by himself in the first half, 23-20. 

Broeckel's layup in the opening seconds of the second half gave the Warriors their largest lead of the game, 40-20. WLC had a 20-point advantage at the 18:25 mark, but Calvin chipped its deficit down to just 10 points at 53-43 10 minutes later. A 7-2 scoring spurt sent Wisconsin Lutheran's lead to 15 points at 60-45 with under six minutes to play. The Knights knocked their deficit back down to 10 points again with 2:10 left, but the Warriors made nine of 10 free throws over the final 2:03 to seal their second victory over a Top 25 opponent this season.

Broeckel finished with game highs of 30 points and 11 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the season and 32nd of his career. It marked his second 30-point performance of the year and fourth of his career. Graduate Grayson Goetz (Aurora, Ill.) finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and a career high-tying four steals. Senior AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) added 12 points and eight rebounds. Graduate Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.) chipped in eight points and a career-high 10 assists. Graduate Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) totaled a season-high six rebounds. WLC shot 40.6 percent (26-for-64) from the floor and 76.5 percent (13-for-17) from the charity stripe. 

Owen Varnado scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead CU (21-7), which shot 39 percent (23-for-59) from the floor. 

Wisconsin Lutheran faces second-ranked regional host UW-Platteville (26-2) tomorrow in a NCAA Tournament Second Round matchup at 7:10 p.m. at Williams Fieldhouse in Platteville. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com. The Pioneers advanced with a 125-97 first round win over Grinnell.