Box Score Holland, Mich. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team fell 80-75 at Hope College (Mich.) Saturday night in DeVos Gymnasium. The Eagles, receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, fall to 5-2 on the season while the Flying Dutchmen, ranked 15th in the country, improve to 5-1.
UWL led much of the first half and had its biggest lead of 12 at 35-23 with 4:34 remaining after a
Zach Schradle layup. Hope (Mich.) ended the half on a 15-6 run and cut the lead to 41-39.
The Eagles increased the lead to nine points at 51-43 with 17:02 left after a pair of Schradle free throws in the second half. Hope (Mich.) chipped away at the lead, and tied the game at 58-58 at 10:47 remaining in the game after a pair of Teddy Ray free throws. The Flying Dutchmen took their first lead of the half after a Harrison Blackledge layup made it 62-60 with 9:10 to play. Schradle hit a pair of free throws on the other end for the Eagles to tie it at 62-62, but Hope (Mich.) would score on the next possession on a layup from Blackledge with 8:35 remaining to make it 64-62. The Flying Dutchmen would never trail the rest of the game.
UWL cut the lead to 75-74 with a
Ben Meinholz layup with :56 remaining, but Hope's (Mich.) Cody Stuive converted a three-point play with :26 left to put the lead back to four at 78-74. After
Ryan Kruser converted one-of-two free throws for UWL to cut the lead to 78-75 with :16 remaining, Ray hit a pair of free throws with :16 left for the final margin of 80-75.
Meinholz, Schradle, and
Austin Fritz combined for 66 of UWL's 80 points and 29 of its 40 rebounds Saturday night. Meinholz scored a career-high 28 points, finishing 12-of-23 from the field, including one-of-two from three-point range, and three-of-three at the free throw line. He recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds while also finishing with four assists. Schradle had his second consecutive double-double, finishing with 20 points and team-high 11 rebounds before fouling out with 5:15 remaining in the game. He was six-of-12 from the field, including one-of-one from three-point range, and seven-of-eight at the line. Fritz scored 18 points and added eight rebounds, going seven-of-13 from the field and four-of-six at the free throw line.
UWL shot 45.3% from the field, including 22.2% (two-of-nine) from three-point range, and 71.4% (15-of-21) at the free throw line.
Hope (Mich.) shot 47.5% from the field, including 22.2% (four-of-18) from three-point range, and 75.0% (18-of-24) at the line. Blackledge led five players in double figures with 16 points, also leading the team with seven rebounds. Dante Hawkins and Ray each finished with 15 points while Stuive totaled 14 points and Keith Brushwyler 10. Chad Carlson had six assists for the Flying Dutchmen.
Hope (Mich.) now leads the all-time series, 2-0, earning a 65-47 victory last season at UWL.
UWL returns to action Saturday, December 10 hosting Loras College (Iowa) at 5 p.m. in the Eagles' home opener.
