Men's Basketball season ends in NACC Tournament quarterfinals

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. – Lakeland College ended Concordia University Wisconsin's season with a 100-92 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament quarterfinal win on Saturday evening inside Woltzen Gymnasium.

CUW received valiant efforts from sophomore Keith Kahlfeldt and Garrett Wenzelburger, but LC answered with six players in double-figures and a 29-of-34 effort at the free throw line.

The first half featured four scoring ties and 13 lead changes, but it was all Muskies in the final 20 minutes of play, as Just Ward led the charge with 34 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and a perfect 15-of-15 showing at the charity stripe.

CUW (11-15) cut its deficit to two points, 88-86, with 2:40 to play in the postseason contest, but couldn't put successive defensive stops together. LC finished the game with a 12-4 scoring run, led by Ward who scored six points.

Kahlfeldt (New Berlin, Wis.) tallied 29 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including three 3-pointers, to go along with a career-high-tying nine rebounds. The forward had 11 points and seven rebounds in the opening half.

Wenzelburger (Hartland, Wis.) matched his career-high from three days prior with 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting, including two triples, and 6-of-6 at the free throw line. He also pulled down eight rebounds and a stole a career-best four passes.

CUW's freshman Eric Kittel (Brillion, Wis.) ended with 10 points and a game-high six assists, while sophomore Dustin Thumann (Marshfield, Wis.) scored eight points.

Stan McKenzie tallied 13 points for the Muskies, while James Oshkeshequoam and Travis Kell each had 11 points. Joey Burris and Brandon Hagenow added 10 points each.

It was a battle during the first 12 minutes of play, as neither team could take control of the rival game. The Muskies eventually put together a 10-1 scoring run over a two minute and 12 second stretch to pull ahead by seven points, 34-27.

LC led 44-39 at the intermission, behind a 28-10 advantage in paint scoring.

CUW's offense kept pace in the second half, but its defense couldn't lock down the multitude of scorers the LC had on the floor. The Falcons did finish the game 48.0 percent (36-of-75) from the floor, but allowed the Muskies to shoot 50.0 percent (33-of-66) for the game.

Unfortantely for the Falcons it was the third time this season the Muskies had defeated them