WATERTOWN, Wis. – Nate Bauer (Lake Mills, Wis./Lakeside Lutheran) scored 25 points to lead four players in double figures as the Wisconsin Lutheran College men's basketball team won its first Northern Athletics Conference game Friday night, 86-75, over Maranatha in Watertown, Wis.
The Warriors got rolling right away as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead just 1:36 into the game. The Crusaders (2-5, 0-4 NAC) scored the next basket, but Wisconsin Lutheran put together another 7-0 spurt to take an early 14-2 advantage. Andy Thusius (Kenosha, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) scored six of the Warriors' first 14 points.
Wisconsin Lutheran built its lead to as many as 16 points in the opening half on its way to a 43-33 halftime lead. Maranatha never held a lead in the contest.
In the second half, Maranatha cut the lead to five points with 11:31 remaining in the game, however Bauer knocked down a three-point shot after that to put the Warriors back up by eight points. The Crusaders knocked the lead back down to six points a couple more times, but that was as close as they would get as the Warriors rolled to the 11-point victory.
Bauer was one of four Warriors players to score in double figures as he poured in a game-high 25 points, including an impressive 13-for-14 from the free throw line. Alex Merbach (Kaukauna, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) posted a double-double for WLC with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Thusius and Tim Demuth (Franksville, Wis./Racine Lutheran) chipped in with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Bauer also added a team-best four assists.
The host Crusaders were led by Caleb Burch as he came off the bench to score 21 points. Joel Borchardt added 13 points and was one of three Maranatha players to finish with a team-best six rebounds.
The Warriors defense played solid all night as they forced 22 Crusaders turnovers, compared to turning the ball over just 15 times themselves.
Wisconsin Lutheran (2-9, 1-2 NAC) is off for the remainder of 2011 and won't return to the court until January 5 when it hosts Concordia Chicago in a league matchup. That game between the Warriors and Cougars is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. at the Recreation Complex.