Vikings rally but fall at Ripon

RIPON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to take the lead only to see Ripon College come back and snatch an 84-80 Midwest Conference victory at the Storzer Center on Wednesday.

Tyler Crisman poured in a career-high 29 points for the Vikings (9-9, 8-5 MWC). Jon Mays added 23 points, and Erik Borresen had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Scott Gillespie had a double-double for Ripon (11-7, 9-4) with 16 points and 14 assists.

Lawrence was down 18 at 59-41 on Alex Tomsheck’s jumper with 15:28 left in the game. The Vikings then scored the next eight points on a jumper by Mays and back-to-back 3-pointers by Crisman to cut the lead to 59-49 with 13:47 left.

Crisman hit 11 of 16 shots from the floor, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range.

After Nic Schaalma countered with a basket for Ripon, Lawrence scored nine consecutive points, capped by Crisman’s layup, to cut the margin to 61-58 with 11:00 left.

Ripon stretched the lead back to 65-58, but the Vikings chipped away and tied the game at 75-75 on a Borresen free throw with 2:39 left.

After Gillespie missed a jumper, Borresen hit a short jumper to give Lawrence a 77-75 lead with 1:38 left.

Taylor Koth was fouled and hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 77-77 with 1:19 remaining. Mays went to the basket for Lawrence, but his layup was off the mark after contact with a Ripon player.

Ripon grabbed the rebound and Koth scored and was fouled on the other end to put Ripon up 80-77 after he converted the three-point play.

Crisman then missed an off-balance 3-pointer with 11 seconds left that would have tied it. Aris Wurtz grabbed the rebound for Ripon and converted both free throws to seal the win.

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