DE PERE, Wis. - St. Norbert College held a commanding plus-25 rebounding margin and went on to post a 60-46 Midwest Conference win over Lake Forest College on Connie Tilley Court at Schuldes Sports Center.
The Green Knights, ranked No. 15 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, improved to 12-3 overall and 8-2 in the Midwest Conference. Lake Forest fell to 7-7, 5-4.
So great was St. Norbert's rebounding advantage that the Green Knights had more offensive rebounds - 18 - than the Foresters total of 17. St. Norbert collected 42 total caroms in the game.
St. Norbert trailed 13-10 with 8 minutes 25 seconds left in the first half before slowly taking command of the game. David Wipperfurth hit a 3-pointer to tie it, and Steve Papke's hoop gave the Green Knights a 15-13 lead. Jeff Beck hit a 3-pointer for the Foresters at 6:44 to put them back ahead 16-15, but St. Norbert would go on a 12-0 run.
Papke and Chris Peterson hit hoops, and Peterson added a couple of fee throws. John Taylor and Wipperfurth then connectedon a pair of 3-pointers to make it 27-16 with 3:24 left before halftime. St. Norbert settled on a 36-24 halftime lead.
Lake Forest would get to within 48-34 with 9:14 left, but consceutive 3-pointers by Wipperfurth was the knockout blow for a 54-34 lead with 7:29 left.
Wipperfurth led all scorers with 19 points, while Taylor added 12 points and Papke 10. Papke finished with a double-double, adding 11 points. The Green Knights shot 45.3 percent (24-for-53) from the floor.
Lake Forest was led by eight points apiece from Beck and Dayton Young. The Foresters shot 39.5 percent from the floor, making 17 of 43 shots.