PICTURED ABOVE: Sophomore Ricky Samuelson (LEFT) scored a team-high 18 points on Saturday and senior Michael Berg (RIGHT) added 16 points.

Holland, Mich. – The Wheaton Thunder men's basketball team closed out its participation in the Midwest Challenge on Saturday with a matchup against Calvin College (4-3). The Knights emerged with a 79-66 victory against the Thunder. Wheaton (3-4) will remain on the road on Wednesday night when the Thunder travels to #23-ranked UW-Whitewater for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff with the Warhawks.

Wheaton emerged with an early seven-point lead today in the matchup with Calvin as the Thunder held a 15-8 advantage with 13:00 left in the first half. Wheaton led 25-20 with 7:35 remaining in the first half when Calvin's Nick Kronemeyer made a field goal that was the first points of an 11-0 run for the nights that turned Calvin's deficit into a 30-25 lead with 2:54 remaining in the first half. Calvin led the Thunder 38-30 at halftime.

Calvin continued to maintain a lead in the second half. The Knights led 53-42 with 12:00 left in regulation when Wheaton's Ricky Samuelson made the first of two back-to-back three-pointers, cutting the Calvin lead to 53-48 with 11:20 remaining in the game. The Knights responded after Samuelson's trifectas with a 12-4 run that increased the Calvin advantage to 65-52 with 6:30 left in regulation. Calvin maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game to earn the 79-66 victory.

Samuelson led the Thunder in scoring for the second consecutive night as the sophomore registered 18 points, draining six three-pointers. Michael Berg scored 16 points with nine rebounds and five blocked shots. Senior guard Jonathan Berntsen (PICTURED LEFT) scored 16 points with four assists and four rebounds. Freshmen Trae Masten and Luke Peters each scored six points.

Jordan Daley led Calvin with 24 points and six rebounds. Michael Wilks added 19 points for the Knights.

Wheaton shot 46.9% (23-for-49) from the field, including 47.6% (10-for-21) from three-point range and the Thunder had a 66.7% (10-for-15) effort at the free throw line. Calvin posted a 45% (27-for-60) field goal percentage with 43.5% (10-of-23) behind the three-point arc and a 93.8% (15-of-16) at the charity stripe. Calvin out-rebounded the Thunder 33-29, including a 10-6 edge on the offensive glass.