Wheaton, Ill. - The Wheaton men's basketball team kicked off its weekend on Friday night with an 85-64 victory over the College of St. Scholastica in King Arena on the first day of the Lee Pfund Classic. The Thunder will face UW-La Crosse on Saturday night in the Lee Pfund Classic Championship game at 7:15 pm after the seventh-ranked Eagles defeated Rose-Hulman, 84-73, in Friday night's other contest. With tonight's victory, the Thunder push their season ledger to 4-1 while the Saints slip to 3-3.
First half shooting was the catalyst for the Thunder on Friday night, as the team shot 57.1% (16-28) from the field including 56.3% (9-16) from beyond the arc in the opening stanza. The Thunder replicated its 16-28 shooting from the field in the second half but cooled slightly from deep, making four-of-nine attempts. St. Scholastica shot 39.3% (22-56) from the field with a 31.8% (7-22) mark from beyond the arc. Wheaton also won the rebounding battle, 36-29, with both teams grabbing seven offensive boards.
Wheaton only trailed for just over a minute of game action early on before a 12-2 run pushed the hosts ahead 16-6 on
Kyle Neibch's three-pointer. Five-straight from the Saints pulled them back to within five at the midway point of the first half, but Wheaton answered with a 17-0 run that held St. Scholastica scoreless for a five-minute stretch. Riding its hot hand from the field, Wheaton reached the intermission holding a 44-24 advantage.
St. Scholastica was able to find it's offensive rhythm after recess as the Saints traded baskets with the Thunder for much of the half, but could not substantially threaten the Wheaton lead. The Saints pulled inside the 20-point margin on several occasions, but Wheaton consistently had the answer. The hosts pushed the lead to 27 on a pair of occasions, when Christian Viers converted a lay-up with just less than five minutes left and again with 1:37 to play on
Reid Olson's three-point play.
Soren Richardson (
pictured right) led four Thunder players in double-figure scoring with game-highs of 20 points and eight rebounds, while splashing four three-pointers.
Devin Martin stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, four rebounds, and seven assists.
Carson Grier tallied 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists, and
Reid Olson also recorded 13 points.
Kyle Neibch finished with nine points. Davion Butler led the visitors with 17 points on the night.
St. Scholastica will face Rose-Hulman at 5 pm in Saturday night's Lee Pfund Classic Consolation contest.
Note Worthy: Tonight's game was the first-ever meeting between Wheaton and the College of St. Scholastica in men's basketball.
