MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Jeremy Stephani hit a key 3-pointer and Trace Sonnleitner made two clutch free throws to lift the Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 68-65 nonconference victory over Wisconsin Lutheran College on Tuesday at the Recreation Complex.
Jamie Nikitas recorded his second consecutive double-double to begin the season with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Vikings (2-0). Sonnleitner poured in a career-high 22 points and Troy Miller added 13 points for Lawrence.
Jake Jarnigo led Wisconsin Lutheran (0-1) and all scorers with 29 points. Jim Marose added 14 points, and Brett Lubbe had a game-high 12 rebounds for the Warriors.
The teams swapped the lead throughout, and Andrew Borresen’s 3-pointer with 4:08 left tied it at 59-59 for the Vikings. Lawrence followed that with a free throw from Nikitas and a Sonnleitner 3-pointer for a 63-59 edge.
Jarnigo countered with a 3-pointer for the Warriors to trim the margin to 63-62, but Stephani buried a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:19 left.
The Vikings still led 66-62 when Marose went to the foul line with 47 seconds left. He missed both free throws, but the Warriors got the rebound, and Jarnigo buried a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left to cut the lead to 66-65.
Sonnleitner was fouled with just 7.4 seconds left and drained both free throws to put the Vikings back up by three. Jarnigo missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied it.
Lawrence returns home to begin Midwest Conference play on Saturday when the Vikings host Ripon College.