St. Norbert Wins Another Nailbiter as MWC Streak Hits 48

From Sports Information Director, December 8, 2015 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College needed another defensive stand in the game's closing moments to secure a 64-61 win over Lake Forest College in a Midwest Conference game at Schuldes Sports Center.

The Green Knights (5-1, 4-0 MWC), who got a walkoff defensive stop in a 59-57 win over Ripon College last Wednesday, improved their winning streak against Midwest Conference opponents to 48 in a game that featured 11 lead changes and five ties.

St. Norbert led 57-50 with 5:36 left after a Tim Marshall basket, but the Foresters went on an 11-3 run to eventually take a 61-60 lead with 1:47 left on an Eric Porter basket. Out of a timeout, St. Norbert's Terrence Garner scored a layup with 1:32 left to give the Green Knights a 62-61 lead.

The Foresters couldn't score but the Green Knights missed four consecutive free throws to give Lake Forest possession with the shot clock off. Jim Schick's baseline leaner was left short with 4 seconds left, and Mitchell Reinthaler's two free throws with 2.3 seconds left put the Green Knights up three. Mike Rueffer's shot from the corner as time expired was off target to end the game.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first half. The Green Knights trailed 26-22 with 4:55 left in the first half before a quick 5-0 run, finished by a Garner breakaway dunk, put St. Norbert up 27-26. St. Norbert led 31-30 at halftime.

St. Norbert took an eight-point lead early in the second half, holding a 44-36 edge with 12:54 to go on a Josh Hillis basket. The Foresters countered with a 9-2 run on 3-pointers by Schick and Rueffer and a conventional three-point play from Danny Sotos to trail 46-45 with 10:08 to go.

The Green Knights shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the floor but were 14-for-25 (56.0 percent) at the free-throw line. D.J. DeValk led St. Norbert with 13 points, while Ben Bobinski added 12 points and Reinthaler 10. Garner had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Lake Forest shot 48.1 percent (26-for-54) from the floor. Schick led the Foresters with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Sotos added 19 points and eight rebounds.