RIPON, Wis. - For the second time in two weeks, the Ripon College men's basketball team defeated St. Norbert College, winning Tuesday's matchup by a score of 76-61 to earn a regular season series sweep against SNC for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The win also propels Ripon into a four-way tie for first place atop the Midwest Conference standings. Ripon has now defeated St. Norbert three times in their last four meetings, handing SNC more losses during the last two seasons than any other team in the country.

Ripon (13-5, 10-3 MWC) shot 48 percent (24-50) from the field, including 41 percent (7-17) from 3-point range, while the Red Hawks defense limited St. Norbert (15-5, 10-3 MWC) to just six percent (1-17) from 3-point range. Ripon never trailed in the game, as they had the hot hand from the outset, making four of five 3-pointers in the first four minutes to take a quick 12-2 advantage. A 10-5 run by St. Norbert cut that lead in half mid-way through the half, but Ripon built that lead to double-digits again before going into the half leading by nine.

Then Senior Tyler Semenas took over for the Red Hawks, scoring 22 of his game-high 27 points in the second half. St. Norbert never got closer than seven points after halftime, as Ripon led by double-digits for the final nine minutes. Ripon's largest lead of 20 points came on a pair of Semenas free throws with six minutes remaining, capping a 15-2 Red Hawk run, which put the game out of reach.

Semenas finished the game shooting 8-for-11 from the field and 10-for-11 from the free throw line. Isaac Masters added 20 points (including three 3-pointers), to go along with a team-high three assists, while Trent Jones finished with 13 points and six rebounds.

St. Norbert was led by Mitchell Reinthaler's 14 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, while D.J. DeValk finished with 13 points, three assists, and two steals. Brian Luteyn chipped in with 11 points off the bench, to go along with eight rebounds (five offensive).

The win marks Ripon's eighth consecutive victory. They'll be in action again on Saturday when they'll travel to Lake Forest College. That game is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Lake Forest, Ill., and can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.