APPLETON, Wis. — The Ripon College men’s basketball team pulled out an 81-80 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University behind 41 points from Ty Sabin on Wednesday at Alexander Gymnasium.
Sabin hit 17-of-25 shots from the floor, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, to pace the Red Hawks (10-6, 8-3 MWC).
Lawrence star Jamie Nikitas led four Vikings in double figures with 25 points, and he added eight assists, four rebounds and three steals. Troy Miller and Jeremy Stephani added 13 points apiece for the Vikings (5-10, 2-8), and Mitch Willer chipped in 11 points.
The game featured 10 ties and the biggest lead for either team was five points.
Miller scored eight consecutive points for the Vikings, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and picking up a layup sandwiched around a pair of Ripon baskets, to give Lawrence a 75-74 lead with 2:34 left. Sabin countered with a driving layup to put the Red Hawks up 76-75 with 1:24 left.
On the ensuing possession, Stephani was going up to shoot a 3-pointer and had the ball knocked away. He caught the loose ball, buried a 3-pointer but was called for a travel so the basket was waived off.
Sabin was fouled and hit two free throws to give Ripon a 78-75 lead. Nikitas countered with a layup with 20 seconds left to cut the margin to one. Ty Ketz hit a pair of free throws for Ripon with 15 seconds remaining to push the lead back to 80-77.
Nikitas then missed a closely contested 3-pointer with 10 seconds left. Ripon grabbed the rebound and Sabin was fouled. He hit one free throw with four seconds remaining to seal the win before Connor Weas hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Vikings.