Late Rally Not Enough For Green Knights

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, December 15, 2018 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

EAU CLAIRE - St. Norbert College nearly rallied from a 20-point deficit in the second half but couldn't quite get over the hump as the Green Knights dropped a non-conference game to UW-Eau Claire 72-66 at Zorn Arena.

The Green Knights found themselves on the wrong end of a 48-28 score with 13:30 remaining but were able to whittle the deficit down to two points in the game's waning moments. St. Norbert went on an 11-0 run to get to within 48-39 with 8:57 to go, but the Blugolds responded to take a 57-43 lead with 4:40 left.

St. Norbert didn't get close than eight points until a Joe Ciriacks 3-pointer with 40 seconds brought the Green Knights within 66-59. After a missed Eau Claire 1-and-1, Jared Murphy converted a pair of free throws. Eau Claire turned the ball over and Nolan Beirne's free throws with 24 seconds left cut the deficit to 66-63. Eau Claire made two free throws but Wade Geenen answered with a 3-pointer with 18 seconds to go for a 68-66 deficit. The Blugolds again turned the ball over with 13 seconds left giving St. Norbert a chance to tie or take the lead, but the Green Knights committed a turnover and dashed the comeback hopes.

The Green Knights found themselves in such a predicament after making just 5 of 21 (23.8 percent) field-goal attempts in the first half to trail 37-21 at halftime.

St. Norbert shot 39.6 percent (21-for-53) from the floor for the game. Ciriacks led the Green Knights with 17 points, while Geenen added 15, Murphy 12 and Connor Curtis 10 points.

Eau Claire shot 44.9 percent (22-for-49) from the floor. Sean Miller led the Blugolds with 14 points, while Cole Rabedeaux added 13 points and Ben Widdes 10 points.