Green Knights Steal Win From Lake Forest

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 16, 2019 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College's junior guard Joe Ciriacks hit a baseline runner with 0.5 seconds remaining to lift the Green Knights to a 63-62 win over Lake Forest College in a Midwest Conference game at Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center.

St. Norbert forced a turnover with 7.8 seconds remaining trailing 62-61. The Green Knights had to go the length of the floor and found Ciriacks in the corner. Ciriacks drove baseline and his leaner hit the heel of the rim and fell through the hoop with a half-second remaining. Lake Forest's desperation shot was well off the mark.

The Green Knights (11-5, 9-0 MWC) trailed by 10 points at 50-40 with 9:04 remaining before going on a 13-0 run to take a 53-50 lead with 4:56 to go. Ciriacks got the run started with a 3-pointer, followed by a Connor Curtis layup. Logan Krekling converted a pair of free throws, followed by a pair of rainbow 3-pointers from Curtis to put St. Norbert ahead 53-50 with 4:56 left.

Lake Forest's Sam Husting canned a 3-pointer on the next possession to retie the game. Curtis cashed in again to give St. Norbert a brief two-point lead, but the Foresters scored the next five points to go up three. The Lake Forest lead fluctuated between one and three points, the last three-point lead coming on a Danny Sotos hoop for a 62-59 lead with 1:41 left. A pair of Ciriacks free throws cut the deficit to 62-61 with 1:28 left.

St. Norbert led 27-24 at halftime. The Green Knights held a 34-32 lead with 15:56 left before the Foresters went on a 13-2 run to take a 45-36 edge with 11:34 to go. St. Norbert cut the deficit to 45-39 with 9:59 left before the Foresters took their 10-point lead with 9:04 to go.

St. Norbert shot 43.1 percent (25-for-58) from the floor. Curtis finished with 16 points, while Ciriacks added 13 points. Joe Lemon had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Wade Geenen added 10 points.

Lake Forest shot 46.3 percent (25-for-54) from the field. Aram Arslanian led all players with 21 points, while Sotos added 17 points.