La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team completed its non-conference schedule undefeated with a 77-63 victory over Crown College (Minn.) Saturday afternoon in Mitchell Hall. The Eagles, ranked 16th on D3hoops.com, improve to 16-3 on the season, including 11-0 in non-conference play. The Storm drop to 6-12 on the season.
It marks UWL's first undefeated non-conference regular-season since going 8-0 in 1980-81.
In the first-ever meeting between the teams, the first half featured eight lead changes. UWL took a 13-7 lead on a
Henry Noone three-pointer, but Crown (Minn.) used an 8-0 run to lead, 15-13, on a Timothy Wendel layup. The Storm led, 20-19, with 7:44 left in the first half after Wendel's layup, but the Eagles went on a 19-4 run to lead 38-24 with :37 remaining after a
Seth Anderson jumper. UWL led, 38-26, at halftime.
Seth Anderson tied his career-high with 25 points.
The Eagles took their largest lead of the game at 43-26 with 16:42 remaining on a
Zac Haese three-pointer. The Storm went on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to 45-36. Josh Royston's three-point play for Crown (Minn.) cut the lead to 47-39 with 13:28 left.
Wyatt Cook's layup and Anderson's jumper gave UWL a 51-39 advantage. The Storm cut it to 61-54 with 5:25 left on a Royston three-pointer, but the Eagles scored the game's next seven points to take a 68-54 lead with 3:37 remaining.
UWL scored 14 of its last 16 points of the game at the free throw line.
Seth Anderson was seven-of-seven and
Ethan Anderson six-of-six at the free throw line in the final 4:53.
UWL shot 39.7% from the field, including 28.6% (eight-of-28) from three-point range, and 92.0% (23-of-25) at the line.
Ethan Anderson led the Eagles with 25 points, finishing 10-of-10 at the line. The 25 points tied a career-high. He also had eight rebounds.
Seth Anderson totaled a career-high 18 points off the bench, going five-of-eight from the field and eight-of-nine at the free throw line.
Cook had 14 points, four rebounds, three blocks and three steals while Haese finished with 11 points and team-high nine rebounds.
Crown (Minn.) shot 39.7% from the field, including 25.8% (eight-of-31) from three-point range, and 75.0% (nine-of-12) at the line. Wendel led the Storm with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Royston had eight points.
UWL returns to action Wednesday, February 5 at UW-Platteville at 7 p.m.
