St. Norbert Dispatches Lawrence In 16th-Straight Win In Series

From Sports Information Director, January 25, 2017 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

APPLETON - St. Norbert College defeated Lawrence University for the 16th consecutive meeting with a 77-57 win in a Midwest Conference game at Alexander Gym.

The Green Knights (13-3, 10-1 MWC) used an early second-half run to sink the Vikings (7-8, 7-4) and keep a one-game lead in the MWC standings over Ripon College, which defeated Beloit College to keep pace.

St. Norbert led 33-26 at halftime and saw its lead melt to four points when Lawrence's Jeremy Stephani canned a 3-pointer for the first points of the second half. St. Norbert immediately responded with a triple of its own from Ben Bobinski, but the Vikings' Mitch Willer scored to make it 36-31 with 18:27 left.

The Green Knights would answer with a decisive 12-0 run to take control. D.J. DeValk started the run with a basket and Bobinski then followed with a pair of shots from distance for a 44-31 edge with 16:58 to go. Bobinski and DeValk then followed with baskets, the latter putting the Green Knights ahead 48-31 with 14:34 remaining. St. Norbert never led by less than 11 points the rest of the way.

St. Norbert never trailed, scoring the first seven points of the game and eventually leading by 14 at 24-10 with 10:28 left on a Bobinski 3-pointer. The Vikings would go on a 6-2 mini-run in the last two minutes of the half to cut their deficit to 33-26.

The Green Knights shot 45.8 percent (27-for-59) from the floor. Bobinski posted 23 points, while DeValk added 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds without a turnover in 35 minutes. DeValk's rebound total was a career high while his assist total matched a career best. Tim Marshall chipped in 17 points.

Lawrence shot 36.5 percent (19-for-52) from the floor. Connor Weas and Ben Peterson topped the Vikings with 11 points apiece.

The Vikings were outrebounded by the huskier Green Knights 46-23. St. Norbert also had a 17-2 second-chance points advantage.