Strong Second Half Sends Men's Basketball To 4-0 Start

APPLETON, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Four players scored in double figures and 15th-ranked Wisconsin Lutheran College pulled away from an eight-point halftime lead by shooting over 50 percent in the second half for a 92-67 non-conference win over Lawrence on Wednesday at Alexander Gymnasium.

The Warriors (4-0), who knocked down a season-high 13 three-pointers, had at least four players reach double figure scoring for the fourth consecutive game.

WLC sprinted out to a 13-0 lead over LU within the opening three minutes of the game after making its first four shots, including a trio of triples from graduate students Jacob Hefle (Germantown, Wis.) and Jacob Stoltz (Kewaskum, Wis.). Lawrence responded with a 12-3 run that trimmed the lead down to four points with under nine-and-a-half minutes to play. The four-point margin was the closest the hosts would come, as Wisconsin Lutheran extended its lead back to nine points on four separate occasions over the final seven minutes of the first half. The Warriors went into the halftime break with a 38-30 advantage.

WLC went back-and-forth with the Vikings through the first three minutes of the second half, as LU trailed by just six points at 47-41. Seven straight points from Wisconsin Lutheran pushed its lead back to double digits, where it stayed the rest of the way. A 17-4 run that spanned over five minutes extended the Warriors' advantage to 81-55 with four minutes to play, capped by three-pointers from senior AJ Vos (Lombard, Ill.) and Hefle. Senior Carson Robaidek (Bonduel, Wis.) gave WLC a game-high 27-point lead with less than 20 seconds left.

Stoltz paced four players in double figures with a game-high 22 points. Hefle, who hit at least six three-pointers in a game for the fourth time in his career, finished with 20 points, four assists, and four steals. Graduate student Ryan Broeckel (Chilton, Wis.) posted his second double-double of the season with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Vos chipped in with 15 points. Wisconsin Lutheran finished shooting 46.5 percent (33-for-71) from the floor, 48.1 percent (13-for-27) from beyond the arc, and 100 percent (13-for-13) from the charity stripe.

Casey Schoenecker scored 17 points and Landon Key added 15 points for Lawrence (1-4), which shot 53.7 percent (29-for-54) for the game.

The Warriors open Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play Saturday on the road at Benedictine (1-3, 0-0 NACC). Tip time is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.