Nov 27, 2011
Box Score
(Check here Monday for video of game-winning shot)
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The only lead that matters is the one held at the end of the game. The Edgewood College men's basketball team demonstrated that lesson as the Eagles led Viterbo University for a grand total of 89 seconds, but still won the game when sophomore guard Michael Janusek drilled a three-point shot at the buzzer for a come-from-behind 65-64 victory. The Eagles trailed the V-Hawks by seven points with 42 second left before rallying for the victory and improving to 5-0 on the year.
Edgewood College (5-0) was within four points at 61-57 after a pair of Cashton Craig free throws with 1:02 left to play, but Viterbo's Matt Turba answered with a basket and a foul with 42 seconds remaining. He converted the three-point play to give Viterbo University (3-4) a 64-57 lead and severely threaten the Eagles perfect start to the season.
However, senior Ben Wisniewski quickly converted a jumper on the other end, the final basket in a season-high 22 point afternoon, to bring the Eagles to 64-59. Edgewood College then forced Viterbo's Izak Sheforgen into a turnover and converted that into a three-point basket by Kent Faurote with 22 seconds left. Faurote's triple capped a 17-point effort and pulled the Eagles within one possession at 64-62.
The Eagles called timeout and set up a full court press, hoping to force a turnover before having to foul. Edgewood College snapped a sideline trap on Sheforgen and senior Derek Nkemnji was able to tip the ball away for a steal. He gave it to Wisniewski who passed it on to another senior, Jake Guziewski. Guziewski drove hard toward the paint drawing in the defense, but tripped on the foot of a V-Hawk defender. Falling to the floor, Guziewski managed to shovel the ball to Janusek whose catch and release was perfect. The ball swished through the net on the buzzer capping the Eagles' comeback.
Prior to the last second heroics, the Eagles were anything but in control of the game. Wisniewski scored the first bucket of the game and Nkemnji gave Edgewood College a short-lived 5-4 lead with a three-point basket, but that was the Eagles' only lead of the first half. In the second half, the Eagles went down by as many as 10 at 40-30, but used a 13-2 run capped by a three-point play from freshman Dylan Rusch to take another short lead at 43-42 with 12:17 to go. However, that would be the last Eagle lead until Janusek's buzzer beater.
Wisniewski and Faurote were the only two Eagles in double figures but nine of the 10 Eagles who played cracked the scoring column. Faurote had a team-high five rebounds and four blocked shots, while Guziewski doubled his career-high with six assists, including the one on Janusek's game-winner. With the victory the Eagles have achieved the second best start to a season in school history. Only the 1976-77 team that began the year 10-0 had more victories to open a season.
Edgewood College shot 52 percent from the field, but were actually topped in the category by Viterbo's 53.1 percent shooting. Viterbo had four players in double figures led by Jordan Laufenberg's 18 points. Turba scored 11 points, added a game-high 11 assists and recorded five steals.
Edgewood College will open Northern Athletics Conference play on Wednesday night at home against Marian University. The Eagles and Sabres can be seen live on EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com with a 7:00 p.m. tip off.
(Check here Monday for video of game-winning shot)
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The only lead that matters is the one held at the end of the game. The Edgewood College men's basketball team demonstrated that lesson as the Eagles led Viterbo University for a grand total of 89 seconds, but still won the game when sophomore guard Michael Janusek drilled a three-point shot at the buzzer for a come-from-behind 65-64 victory. The Eagles trailed the V-Hawks by seven points with 42 second left before rallying for the victory and improving to 5-0 on the year.
Edgewood College (5-0) was within four points at 61-57 after a pair of Cashton Craig free throws with 1:02 left to play, but Viterbo's Matt Turba answered with a basket and a foul with 42 seconds remaining. He converted the three-point play to give Viterbo University (3-4) a 64-57 lead and severely threaten the Eagles perfect start to the season.
However, senior Ben Wisniewski quickly converted a jumper on the other end, the final basket in a season-high 22 point afternoon, to bring the Eagles to 64-59. Edgewood College then forced Viterbo's Izak Sheforgen into a turnover and converted that into a three-point basket by Kent Faurote with 22 seconds left. Faurote's triple capped a 17-point effort and pulled the Eagles within one possession at 64-62.
The Eagles called timeout and set up a full court press, hoping to force a turnover before having to foul. Edgewood College snapped a sideline trap on Sheforgen and senior Derek Nkemnji was able to tip the ball away for a steal. He gave it to Wisniewski who passed it on to another senior, Jake Guziewski. Guziewski drove hard toward the paint drawing in the defense, but tripped on the foot of a V-Hawk defender. Falling to the floor, Guziewski managed to shovel the ball to Janusek whose catch and release was perfect. The ball swished through the net on the buzzer capping the Eagles' comeback.
Prior to the last second heroics, the Eagles were anything but in control of the game. Wisniewski scored the first bucket of the game and Nkemnji gave Edgewood College a short-lived 5-4 lead with a three-point basket, but that was the Eagles' only lead of the first half. In the second half, the Eagles went down by as many as 10 at 40-30, but used a 13-2 run capped by a three-point play from freshman Dylan Rusch to take another short lead at 43-42 with 12:17 to go. However, that would be the last Eagle lead until Janusek's buzzer beater.
Wisniewski and Faurote were the only two Eagles in double figures but nine of the 10 Eagles who played cracked the scoring column. Faurote had a team-high five rebounds and four blocked shots, while Guziewski doubled his career-high with six assists, including the one on Janusek's game-winner. With the victory the Eagles have achieved the second best start to a season in school history. Only the 1976-77 team that began the year 10-0 had more victories to open a season.
Edgewood College shot 52 percent from the field, but were actually topped in the category by Viterbo's 53.1 percent shooting. Viterbo had four players in double figures led by Jordan Laufenberg's 18 points. Turba scored 11 points, added a game-high 11 assists and recorded five steals.
Edgewood College will open Northern Athletics Conference play on Wednesday night at home against Marian University. The Eagles and Sabres can be seen live on EdgewoodCollegeEagles.com with a 7:00 p.m. tip off.