MADISON, Wis. – The Edgewood College men's basketball team entered Tuesday night's game with their eyes on a fourth straight win and in striking distance of claiming a first round NACC Tournament home game. However, Wisconsin Lutheran College, battling to get into the field pulled out a strong all-around game to top the Eagles 71-65 at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Eagles overcame a 10-point second half margin, but could not hold the lead.
Wisconsin Lutheran College (12-11, 8-10 NACC) came out firing on all cylinders. Leading 10-7, the Warriors connected on eight straight field goal attempts to open up a 29-17 lead with nine minutes left in the first half. At that point in the game, WLC was shooting 65 percent (13-for-20) from the field.
However, Edgewood College (11-12, 10-8 NACC) owned the final four minutes of the half to reel the Warriors in. Dylan Rusch scored baskets on three straight possessions, and Derek Braucht added a layup following a steal by Trevon Ampe to put the Eagles within four points at 38-34. The Warriors Jim Marose would add two free throws with six seconds left in the half to give Wisconsin Lutheran a 40-34 lead at the break.
The Warriors scored the first two baskets of the second half before the Eagles, and in particular Joe Klocek, roared to life. Klocek scored eight straight points, the last six coming on a pair long range bombs from the right corner. Rusch added another bucket in the paint and the Eagles had completed a 10-0 run to tie the game at 44-44. Minutes later Edgewood College grabbed their only lead of the second half on a Rusch three-pointer and a strong finish inside by Ampe for a 51-50 advantage.
Wisconsin Lutheran had the answer though, taking back the lead with 10:43 left on a layup from Nate Siemers. Edgewood College stayed close with another three-pointer by Klocek, but a 7-0 Warrior run earned the visitors a 65-59 lead with 3:25 to play. Rusch scored a layup with 38 seconds left to cut the Warriors lead back down to three points, but a long outlet pass for an easy two against the press, and then a steal and a layup sealed the game.
Rusch led all scorers in the game with 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting, including all six of his shots from inside the arc. Klocek nailed four three-pointers to finish with 14 points and three assists. Derek Braucht continued to turn in quality minutes off the bench with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.The Eagles shot 48.1 percent in the first half, but settled for just 42.9 percent for the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran's leading scorer DJ Escamilla came off the bench for 16 points, on 4-for-7 three-point shooting. Brett Lubbe and Kyle Stelse both recorded double-doubles, with Lubbe going for 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Stelse scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 boards. The Warriors only turned the ball over a season-low six times in the game.
The loss drops the Eagles into fifth place in the NACC, one game back of Lakeland College. Edgewood College still controls their own destiny for a first round home game in the NACC Tournament. If the Eagles can defeat Aurora at home on Saturday, and finish the regular season with a win at Lakeland, Edgewood College would claim the fourth seed and host a NACC quarterfinal game on February 21.