Superior, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a 100-89 loss to Saint John's University (Minn.) Friday night at the UW-Superior NBC Tip-Off Classic in Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium. Saint John's (Minn.) was also playing its season opener.
RANKINGS
* UWL is ranked 18th while Saint John's (Minn.) is receiving votes on the D3hoops.com Top 25 Preseason Poll.
SERIES RECORD
* UWL leads the all-time series, 7-6, with Saint John's (Minn.).
* The Johnnies snapped a three-game losing streak to the Eagles.
SEASON OPENER
* UWL is now 9-2 in its last 11 season openers with the losses coming to Saint John's (Minn.) tonight and UW-Superior (76-68) in 2023-24.
HOW IT HAPPENED – FIRST HALF
* UWL took a 3-2 lead on
Jack Crowley's three-pointer, but Saint John's later took a 10-6 lead on Baiden Bean's three-pointer. The Johnnies extended their lead to 14-8 on Vincent Hillesheim's layup.
* The Eagles later took a 25-24 lead on
Sam Grieger's layup with 8:53 remaining when the Johnnies went on a 19-5 run to lead 43-30 with 3:50 left on Peyton Podany's layup.
* Trailing 49-36 with 2:14 remaining, UWL ended the half on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 49-48. Grieger scored nine points in the run.
* UWL shot 58.1% (18-of-31) from the field in the first half, including 66.7% (eight-of-12) from three-point range. Saint John's shot 66.7% (18-of-27) from the field, including 53.9% (seven-of-13) from three-point range.
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND HALF
* Grieger's jumper to start the second half gave UWL a 50-49 lead, but it would be the Eagles final lead of the game.
* Leading 56-55, Saint John's used a 9-0 run to extend its lead to 65-55 with 13:58 remaining.
*
Eli Schroeder's three-pointer for UWL with 12:27 left cut the deficit to 69-62 when Saint John's scored seven of the next nine points for a 76-64 lead.
* The Eagles could get no closer than 10 points the rest of the game.
UWL TEAM STATISTICS
* UWL shot 54.2% from the field, including 50.0% (12-of-14) at the free throw line, and 65.0% (13-of-20) at the free throw line.
EAGLES' LEADERS
* Grieger led the Eagles with 33 points and nine assists. He went 12-of-26 from the field, including two-of-six from three-point range, and seven-of-11 at the free throw line.
*
Ian Kowal finished with 12 points and Crowley 11. Kowal was four-of-nine from three-point range and Crowley was three-of-four.
*
Jackson Hayes and Schroeder each scored eight points off the bench.
* Kowal, Hayes and
Carson Bauer led the team with three rebounds each.
SCHOOL RECORD
* Grieger became UWL's career leader in free throws made (353) in Friday's game. He broke the record of 350 set by
Gar Ammerman (1957-60).
* Grieger set single-season school records in free throws made (212) and attempted (248) last season. He is now tied for second in school history in career free throws attempted (433).
*
JJ Paider (2022-26) holds the school record with 528 free throw attempts. Grieger is tied for second with Ken Peterson (1961-64) with 433.
HEAD COACH JT GRITZMACHER
* Fourth season as UWL's head coach, leading the Eagles to the NCAA Division III Elite 8 in 2024-25 and Sweet 16 in 2025-26.
* Career record of 63-26 at UWL.
* Led team to three WIAC Tournament berths, including one championship (2025-26) and one second-place finish (2024-25).
SAINT JOHN'S TEAM STATISTICS
* Saint John's shot 63.8% from the field, including 44.4% (12-of-27) from three-point range, and 93.3% (14-of-15) at the free throw line.
JOHNNIES' LEADERS
* Podany led the Johnnies with 24 points while Kyle Johnson finished with 23. Podany went eight-of-11 from the field, including two-of-four from three-point range, and six-of-six at the line. Johnson finished nine-of-16 from the field, including three-of-nine from three-point range, and two-of-two at the line.
* Podany had a game-high nine rebounds and Bean a team-high six assists.
* Hillesheim added 14 points and five rebounds.
NEXT UP
* UWL continues the NBC Tip-Off Classic on Saturday, November 7 versus St. Olaf College (Minn.) at 2 p.m.
