Late run lifts Lake Forest over Vikings

APPLETON, Wis. — A late scoring run Wednesday pushed the Lake Forest College men’s basketball team to the lead, and the Foresters went on to a 66-53 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University at Alexander Gymnasium.

With the game tied, the Foresters scored 10 consecutive points, and Lawrence never got closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Mitch Willer scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Lawrence (6-7, 6-3 MWC). Jeremy Stephani added 14 points for the Vikings, and Eric Weiss chipped in with a game-high five assists.

Mike Rueffer led Lake Forest (8-7, 6-3) with 17 points and 11 of those came at the foul line. Lake Forest went 19-for-27 from the line, compared to 3-for-10 for the Vikings.

Lake Forest led by as many as seven points early in the second half, but the Vikings chipped away and tied it at 44-44 on Evan McLaughlin’s first career 3-pointer. The teams traded baskets, and Stephani’s layup tied the game for the fifth time at 46-46.

Danny Sotos’ three-point play then got the decisive run started for Lake Forest. Sotos followed with two more free throws, and Rueffer hit a 3-pointer. Sotos’ layup finished the run and put Lake Forest up 56-46 with 4:58 remaining.

Weiss’ layup stopped the run and trimmed the margin to 48-56, but the Vikings couldn’t close the gap as their next two 3-pointers rimmed in and out. Lawrence went just 4-for-21 from beyond the arc.

A pair of Stephani free throws cut the lead to 57-50, but Lake Forest went 9-for-10 from the foul line in the final 1:31 to seal the victory.

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