Box Score Albion, Mich. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team earned a 64-61 victory at Albion College (Mich.) Friday night at the Kresge Gymnasium.  The Eagles, receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improve to 5-1 on the season while the Britons drop to 2-3.

UWL got off to a fast start in the first-ever meeting between the two teams, using an 9-2 run to start the game.  Four players scored for the Eagles during the run, capped by a Zach Schradle layup. 
 
UWL never trailed in the first half, and matched its biggest lead of seven points after a Ryan Kruser three pointer with 11:01 left made it 18-11. The Britons chipped away the remainder of the period, and trailed 27-26 with 2:44 left.  Schradle's layup made the margin 29-26 at halftime in favor of the Eagles.   
 
In the second half, UWL grew the lead to eight points at 40-32 on a Schradle jumper with 15:03 to play.  Albion (Mich.) fought back and tied the game for the first time at 43-43 on a Jaylin Fordham layup with 7:55 left.  After a Ben Meinholz jumper gave the Eagles back the lead, the Britons again tied the game at 45-45 on an Arshawn Parker jumper with 7:18 remaining. 
 
The Eagles went on a 13-4 run, and had their biggest lead at 58-49 on a Kenny Finco three-pointer with 4:21 left in the game.  An Albion (Mich.) basket was followed by another Finco jumper, and it was 60-51 with 3:05 remaining.  A 10-4 run to finish the game for the Britons was not enough, and the Eagles held on the for the 64-61 victory. 
 
UWL shot 41.1% from the field Friday night, including 29.4% (five-of-17) from three-point range, and 56.5% (13-of-23) at the free throw line.  Schradle recorded his second double-double of the season for UWL, scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds.  Austin Fritz led the Eagles with 15 points, with Meinholz and Sean Wheeler also scoring in double figures with 11 points each.  Clint Rihn and Kruser each had three assists. 
 
Albion (Mich.) shot 40.7% from the field, including 35.7% (five-of-14) from three-point range, and 66.7% (six-of-nine) at the line.  Kirk Douglas and Darius Branch led four players in double-figures with 13 points each, with Fordham adding 12 and Corey Wheeler pitching in 11 points.  Douglas and Aquavius Burks both had 10 rebounds each for Albion (Mich.).
 
UWL returns to action Saturday, December 3 at Hope College (Mich.) at 4 p.m. (Central Time).