St. Norbert Makes MWC History Grinding Out Win

From Sports Information Director, February 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College set a Midwest Conference record for consecutive wins over league opponents with a hard-fought 58-48 win over Cornell College at Schuldes Sports Center.

The Green Knights (22-1, 18-0 MWC) won for the 42nd consecutive time over a MWC foe, breaking the previous league record of 41 set by Beloit College from 1947-51 and one game in 1959. St. Norbert also became the first MWC men's basketball program to post consecutive unbeaten league seasons since Beloit did it in 1950 and 1951.

St. Norbert looked like it might have to settle for a tie of the record when the Green Knights turned in their poorest shooting performance of the season. St. Norbert connected on just 33.3 percent (17-for-51) of its field-goal attempts, including a frigid 21.7 percent (5-for-23) in the second half. St. Norbert held off the Rams by going 20-for-21 at the free-throw line in the second half.

The Green Knights looked to have things under control when holding a 28-15 halftiem lead. But the Green Knights scored just two points in the first 9:37 of the second half and saw their lead melt all the way down to 30-29 with 10:32 to go. Terrence Garner converted a conventional three-point play at the 10:13 mark for a 33-29 lead, but Cornell's Brad Hund canned a 3-pointer at 9:56 to set up a tense final 10 minutes.

Cornell led by as much as 36-33 after two straight baskets by Hund, the latter with 7:41 to go. The lead would change hands nine times the rest of the game until St. Norbert took the lead for good on a pair of free throws by Austin Elliott with 2:55 left. St. Norbert got a defensive stop and Ben Bobinski's jumper in the lane put the Green Knights ahead 47-44 with 1:54 left. Cornell's Grant Anderson then made two free throws with 1:23 left.

Bobinski then made two free throws with 55 seconds left and St. Norbert then got another defensive stop. Steven Hofacker made the first of two free throws with 42 seconds left, and Andrew Schowerer collected the rebound on the miss and made both charity shots for a 52-46 lead with 41 seconds left.

Schwoerer led St. Norbert with 17 points, while Elliott added 14 points. Hofacker added eight points and nine rebounds. The Green Knights, who uncharacteristically had four assists on 17 made field goals, also had 14 turnovers.

Cornell was led by 15 points from Hund and 12 points from Jessie Spearman. The Rams shot 38.3 percent (18-for-47) from the field and also had 19 turnovers.