St. Norbert Makes History in MWC Title-Clinching Win at Carroll

From Sports Information Director, February 12, 2011 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

WAUKESHA - St. Norbert College won consecutive conference championships for the first time in school history when it iced its second-straight Midwest Conference title with a 60-46 win over Carroll University at Van Male Fieldhouse.

The Green Knights (17-5, 13-4 MWC) claimed only their fourth Midwest Conference title, joining championships from 1984, 2002 and 2010. St. Norbert's two stints in the Midlands Conference from 1948-53 and 1966-74 - the Green Knights' only other league affiliation aside from the MWC - did not produce a men's basketball champion. St. Norbert also earned hosting privileges for the Midwest Conference Tournament on Feb. 25-26.

St. Norbert, which entered the game on a modest two-game losing streak, wasted no time taking control of the game by jumping out to an 8-0 lead. John Taylor hit a jumper and 3-pointer followed by a David Wipperfurth hoop and a Paul Mallers free throw. Carroll would trail the entire game, getting to within 23-21 late in the first half before St. Norbert settled on a 32-24 halftime lead.

Carroll's only single-digit deficit came at 34-25 early in the second half, but Wipperfurth's layup and 3-pointer gave the Green Knights a healthy margin it would never relinquish. The Pioneers would get to within 12 points twice but never got any closer.

The game marked the seventh time this season St. Norbert has held an opponent under 50 points. Carroll scored six points less than the 52 points it scored in the first half of an 89-88 win over Ripon this past Wednesday.

Wipperfurth led St. Norbert with 21 points and moved into 17th place on St. Norbert's career scoring list with 1,077 points. Taylor added 16 points, while Chris Peterson chipped in with 10 points and Paul Mallers grabbed 12 rebounds. The Green Knights shot 42.3 percent (22-for-52) from the floor and had just six turnovers.

The Pioneers shot 37 percent (17-for-46) from the floor. Kevin Hurd was the only Carroll cager to post double figures wtih 19 points. The Pioneers were 5-for-22 (22.7 percent) from beyond the three-point arc.