Newberg, Ore. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team, ranked 15th on this week's D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll, improved to 9-0 on the season with a 77-62 victory at George Fox University (Ore.) Saturday night in Wheeler Sports Center. The Bruins drop to 4-5 on the season.
The Eagles' 9-0 record is their best start in 56 seasons when UWL won its first 12 games begin the 1964-65 season. UWL went on to finish 19-4 in 1964-65 while falling 86-77 to St. Norbert College (Wis.) in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 14 finals.
In the first-ever meeting between UWL and George Fox (Ore.), the Eagles scored the first five points of the game on a
Zac Haese three-pointer and
Terek Nesheim layup. The Bruins took their first lead at 20-17 with 11:06 left in the first half on a Jackson Januik three-point field goal. George Fox (Ore.) took its largest lead at 29-24 with 6:50 remaining after Michael Mercado-Smith's layup.
Terek Nesheim had a career-high 17 points.
The game was tied nine times in the first half, including 39-39 at halftime, as UWL's
Ethan Anderson converted a three-point play with :02 remaining.
George Fox (Ore.) took a 42-39 lead on Kalu Stricklin's three-point field goal to start the second half, but UWL used a 10-0 run to take a 49-42 advantage. Anderson had back-to-back jumpers to give the Eagles their seven-point lead. The Bruins cut it to 51-46 with 13:28 remaining, but could get no closer the rest of the game as the Eagles went on a 9-0 run to lead 60-46. Wesley Reynolds made a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 64-57 with 5:44 left, but five straight points gave UWL a 69-57 lead with 1:36 remaining.
Wyatt Cook had a pair of baskets and Nesheim a free throw for the Eagles.
UWL shot 47.4% from the field, including 31.6% (six-of-19) from three-point range, and 85.0% (17-of-20) at the line. Anderson finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Eagles, tying his career in points and setting a career-high in rebounds. He had 25 points against Concordia University Wisconsin November 15 and totaled 25 points and 10 rebounds at Marian University (Wis.) November 19.
Nesheim totaled a career-high 17 points Saturday. Haese finished with 12 points and a career-high six rebounds while Cook recording his first career double-double with 10 points and career-high 10 rebounds.
George Fox (Ore.) shot 32.8% from the field, including 28.6% (10-of-35) from three-point range, and 80.0% (10-of-13) at the line. Ryan Lacey led the Bruins with 14 points while Stricklin and Mercado-Smith each had 10. Reynolds had a team-high seven rebounds.
UWL returns to action Sunday, December 29 hosting Augustana College (Ill.) at 3 p.m. in Mitchell Hall.
