APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team wraps up its season with two Midwest Conference games this week. The Vikings travel to Carroll University on Wednesday looking for a sweep of the season series against the Pioneers. Lawrence then bids farewell to seniors Ryan DePouw, Andrew Borresen and Shane Cullian with the season’s final home game on Saturday against Monmouth College.
Category: Men’s Basketball
Vikings hang tough to win at Beloit
BELOIT, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team made a pair of key plays down the stretch to hold on for a 69-65 Midwest Conference victory over Beloit College on Tuesday at Flood Arena.
Jamie Nikitas led Lawrence (9-12, 7-9 MWC) with 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, with the last theft setting up a key late hoop for the Vikings. Trace Sonnleitner picked up 17 points, four rebounds and a key late block for Lawrence that preserved the lead.
Ryan DePouw added 13 points, a game-high nine rebounds and three assists for the Vikings. He also made a pair of late free throws to seal the victory.
Andrew Bremner paced Beloit (7-14, 6-10) with 18 points and six rebounds, and Steve McAfee added 16 points.
Lawrence led 65-63 after McAfee’s layup with 4:30 remaining, and the teams then traded several missed shots. DePouw missed a 3-pointer from the corner, and Bremner grabbed the rebound for Beloit, but his outlet pass was picked off by Nikitas.
The Vikings missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, but DePouw grabbed the offensive rebound. Nikitas then scored on a layup to give the Vikings a 67-63 advantage with 1:13 left.
BJ Kiser went to the hoop for Beloit, but Sonnleitner was there for the block and Nikitas grabbed the rebound. The teams then traded turnovers, and Beloit was forced to foul.
Nikitas went to the line but missed the front end of a bonus with 35 seconds left. Rudy Bentley then scored for Beloit to cut the margin to 67-65 with 25 ticks remaining.
DePouw was triple-teamed on the ensuing possession and turned the ball over, but Kiser threw it away to give the ball back to Lawrence.
DePouw was fouled with 11 seconds left and made both free throws to put Lawrence up 69-65. Beloit couldn’t get off a final shot as Mitch Willer and Sonnleitner knocked the ball away and time expired during the scramble for the ball.
Lawrence led by as many as 12 points in the first half as the Vikings shot 64.3 percent from the floor before the break. The Vikings led 43-33 at the half, but Beloit chipped away at the lead to set up the tense final few minutes.
Men’s basketball preview: Lawrence at Beloit
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team travels to Beloit College for a Midwest Conference game with the Buccaneers on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Flood Arena.
DePouw tops 1,000 points as Vikings rout Illinois College
APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s basketball star Ryan DePouw topped 1,000 points on Saturday as the Vikings routed Illinois College 100-67 in a Midwest Conference game at Alexander Gymnasium.
DePouw, a senior guard from Oconto, Wis., scored 26 points and now has 1,001 points for his career. DePouw is the 22nd player in Lawrence history to score 1,000 points. DePouw hit 8-of-13 shots from the floor, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line.
Jamie Nikitas added 16 points and a game-high six rebounds for the Vikings (8-12, 6-9 MWC). Connor Weas scored 15 points in just 16 minutes for Lawrence, and Trace Sonnleitner and Mitch Willer added 12 points apiece.
Cody Hildebrand and Max Stutsman scored 12 points apiece to pace the Blueboys (4-16, 3-12).
Lawrence actually trailed 18-8 after the Blueboys hit four of their first five attempts from beyond the arc. Lawrence then took command by going on a 13-2 run over the next 2:48 to grab a 21-20 lead. DePouw, Nikitas and Weas all hit 3-pointers during that run for the Vikings.
Lawrence led 29-24, but the Vikings really caught fire over the final 10 minutes of the first half. The Vikings outscored Illinois College 31-9 in the final 9:42 of the half to grab a 60-33 advantage at the half. DePouw had 14 points in the first half, and the Vikings had four players in double figures by the break.
Lawrence quickly pushed the lead to 34 at 72-38 just 3:42 into the second half and the rout was on. The Vikings would lead by as many as 37 points in the second half.
Second-half outburst pushes No. 9 Green Knights past Lawrence
DE PERE, Wis. — The ninth-ranked St. Norbert College men’s basketball team used a big scoring run in the second half Wednesday to pull away for an 81-63 Midwest Conference win over Lawrence University at Schuldes Sports Center.
The Green Knights (18-1, 14-0 MWC) led 55-47 with 11:34 left in the contest after Mitch Willer’s layup for the Vikings. St. Norbert then went on a 20-4 run over the next eight minutes to seal the victory.
Austin Elliott scored 20 points and handed out six assists and Steven Hofacker had 11 points and eight rebounds to pace the Green Knights.
Ryan DePouw poured in a season-high 20 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for the Vikings (7-12, 5-9). Mitch Willer came off the bench to add 12 points, and Jamie Nikitas had 12 points and four assists for Lawrence.
St. Norbert, which never trailed in the game, led by as many as nine points late in the first half, but back-to-back layups from Willer and Troy Miller trimmed the Green Knights’ lead to 35-30 at the half.
The Green Knights stretched the lead to 43-33 early in the second half, but a mini-run that featured a Jeremy Stephani 3-pointer and five points from DePouw trimmed the margin to 47-41. That was as close as the Vikings would get before St. Norbert put together its decisive scoring run.
St. Norbert enjoyed a huge advantage at the foul line where the Green Knights shot 12-for-19. Lawrence did not attempt a free throw as the Green Knights were whistled for only nine fouls.
Men’s basketball preview: Lawrence at No. 9 St. Norbert, vs. Illinois College
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team faces a tough week as it travels to No. 9 St. Norbert College on Wednesday before returning home to face a surging Illinois College team. Lawrence takes on St. Norbert at 7:30 p.m., and the tip-off against the Blueboys is 3 p.m. Saturday at Alexander Gymnasium.
Balanced attack leads Lawrence past Prairie Fire
APPLETON, Wis. — Four Lawrence University men’s basketball players scored in double figures on Saturday, and the Vikings used that balanced attack to post a 76-60 Midwest Conference victory over Knox College at Alexander Gymnasium.
Trace Sonnleitner led Lawrence (7-11, 5-8 MWC) with a game-high 19 points. Troy Miller added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Vikings, and Ryan DePouw and Jeremy Stephani scored 10 points apiece. DePouw also posted game highs with eight rebounds and five assists.
Mitch Murphy paced Knox (5-13, 3-10) with 14 points and five rebounds, and Deandre Weathersby added 10 points and four assists.
Lawrence grabbed the advantage early and kept the Prairie Fire at arm’s length throughout the game. DePouw scored five points in a 10-0 Lawrence run that gave the Vikings a 20-10 lead with 9:16 left in the opening half.
Knox closed to six points late in the first half before Sonnleitner’s layup gave Lawrence a 34-26 lead at the break.
Sonnleitner gave the Vikings a boost early in the second half as Lawrence went on a 12-2 scoring run. Sonnleitner scored seven points in that run and Andrew Borresen hit a 3-pointer before Jamie Nikitas capped the outburst with a layup to give Lawrence a 46-30 edge.
Knox trimmed the lead to 46-34, but Lawrence immediately stretched the lead back to 56-37. Knox closed the margin to 64-52 with 6:41 left, but Stephani answered with a 3-pointer. Knox didn’t get closer than 16 points the rest of the way.
Inside LU Athletics: Young Vikings making an impact on the court
APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s basketball fans are getting a look at the future of the Vikings right now.
With just three seniors, two are starters Ryan DePouw and Andrew Borresen, the Vikings have a number of younger players seeing significant action. No one is making a greater impact off the bench than sophomore forward Mitch Willer and freshman guard Jeremy Stephani.
“I think Jeremy and Mitch really play well together, and that’s something we’re excited about for the future,” Lawrence coach Joel DePagter said.
Willer, the biggest player on the squad at 6-foot-7, is at 4.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and nearly a block per game while averaging 11.9 minutes per contest. The former Sussex Hamilton High School star has seen his role grow over the past two weeks, averaging 10.8 points while shooting 82.6 percent from the floor (19-23) over the last four games.
“We have to figure out how to use Mitch now that he’s comfortable and playing better,” said DePagter, adding that Willer gives the Vikings the dimension of playing above the rim, both offensively and defensively.
“My job is to figure out how to use him best. We have to have a presence inside to be able to compete at a high level. Maybe most importantly, guys are starting to have faith in him. Once the teammates trust that you can do it, you become a real threat because they are looking for you.”
With eight seniors on the 2013-14 squad, Willer knew his role was to work hard in practice, watch and learn. He seems to have studied pretty well for this season’s breakout.
“This role has changed even more throughout the year as we have been trying out new lineups, and we’ve gotten more comfortable with these lineups,” Willer said. ” So I’ve gradually grown into an even bigger role than I had early in the year. I’m happy with how this role has changed, and I’m looking forward to the future has this role continues to expand even more.”
DePagter added that when the ball started going through the hoop for Willer, there was an immediate change.
“Once he finally made a couple of shots, the light bulb went off a little bit,” DePagter said. “He realized he didn’t have to back away, that he can go up and finish and challenge shots.”
Willer has shown quick feet, good hands and the ability to finish strong. He threw down a big dunk in Tuesday’s game with Lake Forest.
“I have become a lot more comfortable going to the basket, and I’ve been making much more of my shots recently,” Willer said. “As I’ve gotten more confident over the season, I’ve realized that there aren’t too many guys in our league that can block my shot so I have been able to finish much stronger at the rim.”
A native of Arlington Heights, Ill., Stephani is averaging 9.4 points per game in 22.9 minutes of action while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 43.4 percent from 3-point range.
“He doesn’t have that lack of confidence or that nervousness that most freshmen have,” DePagter said of Stephani. “When I first saw him on the AAU circuit, I was very excited about him. I saw him play against big-time players in AAU and he never backed down. He just goes out there and competes.”
Stephani has played key minutes for the Vikings since day one, and he believes his frame of mind has led to his role.
“I would definitely say it’s a confidence thing. One thing about how I’ve always played is I’ve been composed,” Stephani said. “I knew that just doing what I do and staying confident would lead to good things for me.”
Stephani scored a season-high 22 points at Grinnell in early January and is coming off back-to-back double-figure scoring games against Knox and Lake Forest. He is Lawrence’s leading scorer off the bench, and that’s where DePagter believes his role is, at least for now.
“Jeremy probably should be a starter for us, and he will be in the future, but he’s such a spark off the bench,” DePagter said. “There have been times this year where he’s been the best player on the floor for us and that is prety exciting. He’s an all-conference caliber player. If he can improve athletically and get in the weight room, he’s going to be a force for the next three seasons.”
Stephani said coming off the bench was new to him, but he has begun to revel in the role.
“I think I’ve been shooting the ball pretty well of late,” Stephani said. “There have been some times I’ve had rookie mistakes with turning the ball over, and I haven’t shot well from the line as I usually do. Overall, I would say I’ve been doing a pretty good job when I’ve gotten the opportunity.”
With Willer and Stephani comprising a formidable inside-outside combination, the Vikings also have sophomores Pete Winslow and Connor Weas adding to the youthful mix. Don’t forget that the Vikings also return starters Jamie Nikitas, Trace Sonnleitner and Troy Miller next season.
“We have played really well at times this year when we’ve had five guys on the floor who will be back next year so that is exciting,” DePagter said.
Hot-shooting Foresters down Lawrence
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lake Forest College men’s basketball team went on a 3-point shooting spree and downed Lawrence University 78-60 in a Midwest Conference game on Tuesday at Alexander Gymnasium.
Lake Forest went 15-for-24 (62.5 percent) from beyond the arc, and Danny Nikitas scored 24 of his game-high 27 points via the 3-pointer. Nikitas, the younger brother of Lawrence star Jamie Nikitas, went 8-for-12 on 3-pointers and shot 9-for-19 for the game.
Jim Schick added a double-double for Lake Forest with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Brian Madson also had 10 rebounds for the Foresters, who dominated on the glass with a 41-25 rebounding edge.
Lawrence’s leading scorers both came off the bench as Mitch Willer and Jeremy Stephani scored 13 points apiece. Willer was 5-for-7 from the floor, and Stephani went 5-for-9, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range.
Lawrence, which led only once in the game at 9-7, fell behind double digits after Lake Forest scored eight consecutive points to grab a 31-21 edge. Lake Forest would lead by as many as 13 points in the first half before settling for a 43-31 lead at the break.
The Vikings cut the lead to 45-35 on a Jamie Nikitas free throw early in the second half, but Lake Forest went on a 9-2 run to grab a 54-37 edge with 13:46 remaining.
Lawrence responded with a 9-2 run of its own, capped by Willer’s dunk with 9:35 left, to cut the lead to 57-46. Danny Nikitas countered with a 3-pointer for the Foresters, Schick then scored on a conventional three-point play and Mason Zuniga hit a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 66-50.
Lawrence got no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
Men’s basketball preview: Lawrence vs. Lake Forest, Knox
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team returns to the friendly confines of Alexander Gymnasium for a pair of Midwest Conference games this week. Lawrence takes on Lake Forest College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. before facing Knox College on Saturday at 3 p.m.