Green Knights Clinch MWC Men's Basketball Tournament Berth

From Sports Information Director, February 16, 2008 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - The St. Norbert College men's basketball team clinched their first appearance in the Midwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in six years with a 69-59 win over Carroll College at Schuldes Sports Center.

The Green Knights improved to 14-8 overall and 10-5 in the Midwest Conference, their first 10-win season in league play since going 16-0 in 2002 - the last year St. Norbert qualified for the tournament. Carroll fell to 14-6 overall and 10-4 in the MWC, and leads St. Norbert by one-half game for second place.

St. Norbert led 29-28 at halftime, following a first half that featured nine lead changes and three ties. Carroll led 5-0 and 24-19 for the largest lead by any team in the first half.

The Green Knights jumped out to a 45-36 lead with 12:51 left following a basket and 3-pointer by John Taylor. Carroll promptly went on a 10-2 run following a pair of 3-pointers by Eric Thompson and baskets by Jeremy Bohn and John Hoch for a 47-46 score with 10:43 left.

St. Norbert was able to answer with a run of its own, pulling away from a 52-51 lead to a 60-51 advantage following a 3-pointer by Mike Dowden, a hoop by Tony Jandron and a 3 by Bryan Fleischmann. Carroll would get no closer than six points the rest of the way, the latest at 65-59 with 1:24 remaining.

St. Norbert shot a blistering 56.3 percent from the floor, making 27 of 48 shots. The Green Knights also held a commanding 34-22 rebounding advantage. Fleischmann finished with a game-high 15 points, while Taylor added a career-high 12 points.

Carroll, which was shooting over 50 percent from the floor for the season coming into the game, made just 38.2 percent of its shots in the game (21-for-55). Wes Ladwig led Carroll with 14 points, while Nate Zimmerman added 12 points.