Late Run Fuels Green Knights to 19th-Straight Win Over Vikings

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, January 31, 2019 | Men's Basketball
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

APPLETON - St. Norbert College broke open a tie game with a 15-4 run midway through the second half en route to a 78-68 win over Lawrence University in a Midwest Conference game at Alexander Gym.

The Green Knights (14-6, 12-1 MWC) maintained their half-game lead in the Midwest Conference standings with the win, their 19th consecutive victory over the Vikings.

The game was knotted at 47-47 with 11:49 remaining when St. Norbert's Drew Yetka canned a 3-pointer from in front of his own bench to start the run. Nolan Beirne followed with a pair of free throws and Yetka promptly followed with another triple for a 55-47 lead with 10:01 to go. Lawrence managed to get baskets in its next two possessions, but Joe Ciriacks hit a 3-pointer in between. Ciriacks and Logan Krekling then followed with baskets for a 62-51 edge with 8:39 to go.

Following a Viking basket, Matt Lynch and Berine converted shots for a 66-53 edge. Lawrence's Julian DeGuzman would cut the deficit to 66-55 with 5:10 left, but a 3-pointer from Wade Geenen and a layup from Beirne put the Green Knights ahead 71-55 with 4:28 to go and sealed the outcome.

The first 12 minutes of the game featured eight ties and seven lead changes. The Green Knights trailed 24-23 until Geenen drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to give them a five-point lead. St. Norbert would lead by as many as six points late in the first half before settling on a 34-30 halftime lead.

The Green Knights shot 44.6 percent (29-for-65) from the floor. Ciriacks led all scorers with 27 points, giving him 59 in the last two games. He also canned seven three-point field goal attempts for the second-straight game. Nolan Beirne, making his first career start, added career highs with 19 points and nine rebounds. Geenen chipped in 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Lawrence also shot 44.6 percent (25-for-56) from the floor. Bryce Denham led the Vikings with 14 points, while George Mavrakis added 13 points.