Men’s Basketball

Category: Men’s Basketball

The Week Ahead: January 2-8

APPLETON, Wis. — It’s a full week of games for nearly all the winter season teams as basketball tips off 2017 with games on Monday afternoon. Lawrence gets back into Midwest Conference play with games against Knox and Monmouth this week. Lawrence hockey returns to Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play with a series against Concordia (Wis.), and the Lawrence swimmers travel to UW-Oshkosh on Saturday.

LU Sports-VikingBasketball-PMS294WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-7, 0-4 MWC)

Opponent: Lawrence vs. Knox (5-4, 2-2 MWC)

When and Where: Monday, Jan. 2, 1 p.m., Alexander Gymnasium.

Webcast: Lawrence vs. Knox

The Series: In a series that started in the 1989-90 season, it is all tied at 19-19. Knox has won the last five meetings, and Lawrence’s last victory was a 93-92 win at Knox during the 2013-14 season.

Opponent: Lawrence at Monmouth (1-8, 1-3 MWC)

When and Where: Saturday, Jan. 7, 1 p.m., Glennie Gymnasium, Monmouth, Ill.

Webcast: Lawrence at Monmouth

The Series: Monmouth holds a 20-11 lead in a series that started in the 1988-89 season. The Scots have won the last 16 meetings, and Lawrence’s last wins came courtesy of a season sweep during the 2006-07 campaign.

Fast Fact: Lawrence sophomore forward Leah Reeves had a trio of big games during the Vikings’ recent nonconference schedule. Reeves averaged 16.7 points while shooting 55 percent from the floor to go with 5.7 rebounds in her last three games. Reeves, who scored a career-high 24 points vs. Widener, has taken over the team lead in scoring at 10.0 points per game.

LU Sports-VikingBasketball-PMS294MEN’S BASKETBALL (2-6, 2-2 MWC)

Opponent: Lawrence vs. Knox (1-8, 1-3 MWC)

When and Where: Monday, Jan. 2, 3 p.m., Alexander Gymnasium.

Webcast: Lawrence vs. Knox

The Series: In a series that goes back to 1925, Knox holds a slim 61-59 advantage, but the rivalry has been dominated by Lawrence over the past 15 years. The Vikings have won 10 straight over Knox and 26 of the last 29 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 season.

Opponent: Lawrence at Monmouth (2-7, 2-2 MWC)

When and Where: Saturday, Jan. 7, 3 p.m., Glennie Gymnasium, Monmouth, Ill.

Webcast: Lawrence at Monmouth

The Series: Monmouth has a 70-40 lead in a series that started in 1926, but Lawrence has had the better of the rivalry over the last decade-plus. Lawrence is 19-5, including a 12-game win streak mixed in there, against the Scots since the start of the 2002-03 season.

Fast Fact: Junior forward Ben Peterson averaged nearly a double-double in the Vikings’ two games at the JustAGame Field House against a pair of WIAC foes, including unbeaten UW-Whitewater. Peterson averaged 12 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in those two games and is now averaging 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior forward Mitch Willer shot 65 percent from the floor in the last two games, and his shooting percentage actually went down. He’s hitting at a 67.1 percent clip from the floor while averaging a team-high 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest.

HOCKEY (4-6-1, 3-2-1 NCHA)

Opponent: Lawrence vs. Concordia (Wis.) (7-4-1, 4-3-1 NCHA)

When and Where: Friday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Ozaukee Ice Center, Mequon, Wis.; Saturday, Jan. 7, 7 p.m., Appleton Family Ice Center.

Friday Webcast: Lawrence at CUW; Saturday Webcast: Lawrence vs. CUW

The Series: Lawrence holds a 13-5-2 lead in a series that started in the 2007-08 season. The Vikings are 3-0-1 in their last four meetings with the Falcons.

Fast Fact: Both of these teams are off to strong starts early in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association season. Lawrence is tied for second place in the North Division, and Concordia holds down second place in the South Division.

LU Sports-VikingSwimDive-PMS294SWIMMING

Opponent: Lawrence at UW-Oshkosh

When and Where: Saturday, Jan. 7, 1 p.m., Albee Hall, Oshkosh, Wis.

Fast Fact: Lawrence swept the Midwest Conference Swimmer of the Week honors after the Vikings’ meet in Florida before Christmas. Danielle Millin was the women’s winner and Christian Bell took the men’s honor as the Vikings split a dual meet with Urbana University.

Blue Devils edge Lawrence

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. — The UW-Stout men’s basketball team held on for a 74-71 nonconference victory over Lawrence University Friday at the JustAGame Field House.

Mitch Willer scored 18 points and added eight rebounds to lead three Vikings in double figures. Ben Peterson added 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds for Lawrence (2-6), and Jeremy Stephani picked up 11 points.

John Keefe led UW-Stout (8-2) with a game-high 19 points and eight rebounds.

Stout built its biggest lead of 10 points at 59-49 with 7:17 left but Lawrence responded. The Vikings went on a 10-2 run, capped by Abhishek Venkatesh’s 3-pointer, to trim the lead to 61-59 with 3:47 remaining.

The Vikings then got back-to-back 3-pointers from Peterson to tie the game at 65-65 with 2:21 left. Sam Ortmann countered with a 3-pointer for the Blue Devils for a 68-65 advantage.

Lawrence then missed a 3-pointer, committed an offensive foul and had a turnover as Stout stretched its lead to 72-65. The Vikings were forced to foul, but the Blue Devils made just two of their four free throws in the final 25 seconds.

Lawrence got a layups from Stephani, Pete Winslow and Willer to trim the lead to three before time ran out.

The Vikings hit 22-of-33 attempts (66.7 percent) of their two-point field goal attempts, but Lawrence went just 7-of-21 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Stout won the game at the foul line by hitting 17-of-26 attempts while the Vikings were just 6-for-12.

Box score

Ranked Warhawks shoot past Vikings in second half

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. — Scotty Tyler scored 30 points Thursday to lead No. 16 UW-Whitewater to a 97-71 nonconference victory over Lawrence University at the JustAGame Field House.

Whitewater (10-0) went on a scoring run early in the second half to stretch its lead to 17 points, and the Warhawks weren’t challenged after that. Whitewater shot 60 percent (15-for-25) from the floor in the second half, including 6-for-12 from 3-point range.

Ben Peterson paced Lawrence (2-5) with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jeremy Stephani also had 10 points for the Vikings, and George Mavrakis and Evan McLaughlin added nine points apiece.

Whitewater led 44-38 at the half and stretched that to 11 points before Pete Winslow’s layup cut the margin to 53-44 at the 17:07 mark. The Warhawks then scored eight consecutive points to grab a 61-44 edge.

Winslow’s 3-pointer cut the lead back to 63-49 at the 13:02 mark, but the Warhawks responded. Whitewater scored 10 straight points to push the lead to 73-49, and Lawrence got no closer than 22 points after that.

Box score

The Week Ahead: December 26-January 1

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University basketball teams are both in action before we ring in the new year. The Lawrence women travel to Winona, Minn., for a nonconference game at St. Mary’s University, and the Lawrence men face a pair of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes. The Vikings take on No. 16 UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout on a neutral court in Wisconsin Dells.

LU Sports-VikingBasketball-PMS294WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-6)

Opponent: Lawrence at St. Mary’s University (7-3)

When and Where: Thursday, Dec. 29, 5 p.m., St. Mary’s Gymnasium, Winona, Minn.

Webcast/Live Stats: Lawrence at St. Mary’s

The Series: This is the second meeting between the team and St. Mary’s posted a 73-49 victory in the first game, which took place at Alexander Gymnasium during the 2015-16 season.

Fast Fact: Lawrence played some pretty solid basketball in its two games in Florida, with the exception of a stretch of less than four minutes in both games. The Vikings gave up big scoring runs in the second quarter of each game, but the games were virtually even for the other 36 minutes. Sophomore Leah Reeves and senior Aubrey Scott both posted career scoring highs in Florida. Reeves went off for 24 points against Widener, and Scott poured in 17 against Randolph.

LU Sports-VikingBasketball-PMS294MEN’S BASKETBALL (2-4)

Opponent: Lawrence vs. No. 16 UW-Whitewater (9-0)

When and Where: Thursday, Dec. 29, 7 p.m., Just A Game Field House, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Webcast: Lawrence vs. UW-Whitewater

The Series: In a series that dates all the way back to 1915, Lawrence holds a 2-1 advantage. The teams played twice back in 1915, including a 51-1 Lawrence victory, but have met just once in the modern era. Whitewater topped the Vikings 73-56 during the 2013-14 season.

Opponent: Lawrence vs. UW-Stout (6-2)

When and Where: Friday, Dec. 30, 5 p.m., Just A Game Field House, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Webcast: Lawrence vs. UW-Stout

The Series: Lawrence won the only meeting between the teams and that was a 42-39 victory way back in 1938.

Fast Fact: Mother Nature gave the Vikings an 18-day break between games when their Dec. 17 game at MSOE was postponed due to a snowstorm. No make-up has yet been set. Senior forward Mitch Willer has saved his best season for last. Willer, coming off career highs of 30 points and 15 rebounds vs. Grinnell, ranks 11th in the Midwest Conference in scoring at 15.8 points per game. He is second in shooting at 67.7 percent, third in rebounding at 8.2 per game and first in blocks at 2.2 per contest.

Men’s basketball game at MSOE postponed

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball game scheduled for Saturday at the Milwaukee School of Engineering has been postponed.

East and southeast Wisconsin are expected to receive up to a foot of snow as a winter storm rolls through the area Friday and Saturday.

No make-up date has been set.

Lawrence returns to action on Dec. 29 when the Vikings face UW-Whitewater at the Just A Game Field House in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Lawrence then faces UW-Stout in Wisconsin Dells on Dec. 30.

Vikings fall in OT to high-scoring Grinnell

APPLETON, Wis. — The Grinnell College men’s basketball team hit four consecutive shots in overtime Saturday to take control and held on for a 133-125 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University at Alexander Gymnasium.

Julian Marx and Vinny Curta scored 30 points apiece for Grinnell (7-2, 4-0 MWC) as six Pioneers scored in double figures.

Mitch Willer went 15-for-17 from the floor on his way to 30 points for the Vikings (2-4, 2-2). Willer picked up a double-double as he grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and added four blocks.

Pete Winslow was 9-for-9 from the floor as he compiled a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings. Jeremy Stephani added 19 points,  six assists and five rebounds, and freshman guard Abhishek Venkatesh picked up 16 points, six assists and three steals. Lawrence’s other rookie guard, Quinn Fisher, had a game-high 10 assists to go with six points.

Lawrence shot 69.9 percent (51-73) from the floor but poor foul shooting and too many turnovers against Grinnell’s pressure defense was the difference. The Vikings went 19-for-38 from the stripe and committed 33 turnovers.

The game was tied at 114-114 early in the overtime when Marx hit a jumper and back-to-back 3-pointers followed by Curta’s three-point play to give Grinnell a 125-115 lead.

Lawrence countered with a three-point play from Winslow and a 3-pointer from Ben Peterson to trim the lead to 127-121. Venkatesh then stole the ball from Marx on the ensuing possession and converted a layup to trim the margin with 127-123 with 46 seconds left.

The Pioneers then sealed the victory at the foul line as Curta went 7-for-9 from the stripe in the final 44 seconds.

Both teams had a chance to win it in regulation after Winslow’s jumper tied it at 113-113 with 47 seconds left.

Grinnell’s Ky-Sean Johnson stepped on the sideline with 32 ticks remaining to give the ball to Lawrence, but the Vikings turned it right back over to the Pioneers with 24 seconds left.

Johnson missed a 3-pointer with three seconds left, and Jacob Eckstrand’s short jumper was off the mark at the buzzer.

Box score

Slow start dooms Vikings in loss to No. 8 St. Norbert

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team got off to a slow start Wednesday, and No. 8 St. Norbert College raced to big early lead and went on to a 76-45 Midwest Conference victory at the Kress Events Center.

Lawrence (2-3, 2-1 MWC) scored just 12 first-half points while shooting 26.1 percent from the floor. The Green Knights (4-1, 3-0) led 16-6 less than nine minutes into the game and stretched the advantage to 29-12 at the half.

D.J. DeValk led St. Norbert with 12 points, and Taylor Penn added 11 points off the bench.

Jeremy Stephani paced the Vikings and all scorers with 13 points. Mitch Willer added 12 points and game-high eight rebounds before fouling out.

The Green Knights enjoyed a huge advantage at the foul line as Lawrence was whistled for 21 fouls compared to 10 for St. Norbert. The Green Knights went 22-for-29 at the foul line. Lawrence was 2-for-5.

Box score

Men’s basketball preview: Lawrence at No. 8 St. Norbert, vs. Grinnell

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team takes on a pair of Midwest Conference opponents this week. The Vikings travel to eighth-ranked St. Norbert College for a 7:30 p.m. game on Wednesday at the Kress Events Center on the UW-Green Bay campus. Lawrence returns home on Saturday for a 3 p.m. game against Grinnell College in the friendly confines of Alexander Gymnasium.

Preview

Peterson’s career night leads Lawrence rout of Prairie Fire

GALESBURG, Ill. — Ben Peterson scored a career-high 29 points Saturday to lead the Lawrence University men’s basketball team to a 90-65 Midwest Conference rout of Knox College at Memorial Gymnasium.

Peterson, whose previous career high was 14 points earlier this season against UW-Stevens Point, hit 9-of-13 shots from the floor and went 4-of-5 from the foul line. Peterson was 7-for-10 on 3-pointers, and the Vikings finished 13-for-28 from beyond the arc. He also posted his first career double-double as he matched his career high with 10 rebounds.

Mitch Willer added 17 points and six rebounds for the Vikings (2-2, 2-0 MWC), and Jeremy Stephani had 11 points. Freshman guard Quinn Fisher handed out 10 assists to go with nine points for Lawrence.

Robert Suntken and Deandre Weathersby scored 15 points apiece to pace Knox (0-5, 0-2).

Lawrence jumped on Knox from the opening tip as the Vikings led 12-2 less than six minutes into the game. The Vikings later went on a 15-3 run, capped by a Peterson 3-pointer, to stretch the lead to 27-7 9:29 left in the opening half.

Lawrence led by as many as 26 points in the first half and was up 52-26 at the break.

The Vikings continued to stretch the lead and led by as 31 seven minutes into the second half. Lawrence expanded its advantage to as many as 36 points on Chase Kruger’s jumper in the final three minutes.

Box score