La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its 2025-26 home season with an 80-65 win over Saint John's University (Minn.) Wednesday afternoon in Mitchell Hall.
The Eagles, ranked third on this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, improve to 6-0 on the season while the Johnnies drop to 2-3.
Sam Grieger finished with 32 points in Wednesday's win.
It is UWL's ninth straight victory in its home opener. The Eagles last dropped a home opener to start the 2016-17 season, falling 88-79 to Loras College (Iowa).
UWL never trailed Wednesday, racing out to a 9-2 lead with
Sam Grieger scoring seven points. Peyton Podany's three-pointer for Saint John's (Minn.) cut it to 9-5, but layups from
JJ Paider and
Dustin Derousseau and a three-pointer from Grieger extended UWL's lead to 16-5.
Noah George's three-point field goal for the Johnnies later cut the deficit to 18-11, but Saint John's (Minn.) would get no closer the rest of the game. UWL led by as many as 16 points in the first half, including 42-26 at halftime. The Eagles shot 55.6% (15-of-27) from the field in the first half.
The Eagles led by as many as 20 points at 71-51 with 5:48 left after a pair of Paider free throws. The Johnnies cut it to 73-60 with 3:20 remaining, but
Jacob Butler's layup for the Eagles made it 75-60.
UWL shot 47.2% from the field, including 15.0% (three-of-20) from three-point range, and 84.4% (27-of-32) at the free throw line.
Grieger led three players in double figures for the Eagles with 32 points. He went 11-of-16 from the field, including two-of-six from three-point range, and nine-of-11 at the line. Paider finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, finishing four-of-seven from the field and nine-of-11 at the line. Derousseau totaled 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Butler had a team-high seven rebounds.
Dustin Derousseau totaled 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Saint John's (Minn.) shot 38.7% from the field, including 17.9% (five-of-28) from three-point range, and 66.7% (12-of-18) at the line.
Vincent Hillesheim led the Johnnies with 15 points and six rebounds. Podany and Evan Weichert each scored eight points with Podany tying for the team lead with six rebounds.
UWL returns to action Thursday, December 4 at Ripon College (Wis.) at 7 p.m.
