Wheaton, Ill. - A sloppy first half and a red-hot shooting Lake Forest team were too much for the Thunder men's basketball team to overcome on Tuesday night. Wheaton rallied for a 21-point second half deficit to pull within two points late in the game but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 78-75. Wheaton is now 2-1 on the season and will host Olivet College on Saturday for a 7 pm tipoff. Lake Forest moves to 3-0 on the season with the victory.

The Foresters shot 44.4% from the field and were even better from the three-point line, shooting 52% (13-25) including a nine-for-13 performance in the first half. Wheaton shot 44.1% from the field but struggled from deep, connecting on only six of their 25 three-point attempts. The Thunder shot 17-of-22 from the free throw line, doubling the free throw attempts of the visitors. Wheaton also won the rebounding battle 40-31 with a 12-8 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Lake Forest came charging out of the gates with an 8-0 run in the opening minute and a half and stretched the lead into double digits at 14-2 just four minutes into the game. Wheaton was able to fight the lead back to ten points on several occasions including a Tyson Cruickshank three-pointer with 2:39 left in the half, but the visitors closed the half on a 9-4 run capped by Victor Novy jumper as time expired to take a 47-32 lead at halftime. The Forester run continued to start the second half as the visitors scored the first six points of the half to take their largest lead of the night at 21 points.

Trailing 55-34, just over two minutes into the second half, Anajuwon Spencer jump-started a Thunder run with a transition lay-up, igniting a 14-0 Thunder run that saw Wheaton hold Lake Forest without a point for five minutes. Nyameye Adom highlighted the run with six points. As they had in the first half, Lake Forest countered from the three-point line connecting on back-to-back threes to quickly balloon the lead back to 61-48 with 12:16 to play. Another quick five-point spurt later in the half pushed the lead up to 70-55 with with eight minutes to play before the Thunder came charging again.

Spencer started the run with a three-pointer and turned things over to Cade Alioth who capped a 12-2 Wheaton run with five straight points, pulling the Thunder within 72-67 with 3:34 to play. Another three-pointer by Spencer cut the Forester lead to 74-70 with two minutes to play and two free throws by Adom made it a one-possession game at 74-72 with 57.1 seconds remaining.

With the shot clock running down on the ensuing possession, Sean Espinosa was able to draw a foul and convert two free throws to push the lead back to four. A lay-up by Spencer cut the lead back to three with three seconds remaining, but the Foresters were able to inbound out of the timeout and run the clock out to secure the victory.

Spencer and Cruickshank led the Thunder with 19 points apiece and combined for all six made three-pointers. Adam added 18 points and eight rebounds. Cade Alioth chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds. Aidyn Albright led five Foresters in double figures with 16 points.