By Jami Sponaugle

Wauwatosa, Wis. - In a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) road contest, the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks men's basketball team took on the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors. The Warriors (16-7, 13-3), who sit at the top of the NACC, have already clinched a spot in the NACC tournament. The Hawks (10-12, 8-6) currently sit in 5th place. 

The contest started out close, with both sides holding the lead at one point through the opening 10 minutes. After that, the Warriors began to create distance from the Hawks. Unable to keep up, the Hawks fell back as the Warriors took off with the lead until the final buzzer. At the end of the game, the Warriors defeated the Hawks 94-70.

First Half (Wisconsin Lutheran 38 - Illinois Tech 24)

• A back-and-forth battle started off the game through the first 10 minutes. At 9:35 left in the first half, the Hawks held their last lead of the contest after a Desmond Price jump shot put the Hawks up 18-17.  A layup for the Warriors at 9:02 took the lead from the Hawks and began a 12-0 run until 4:43 when Caden Gigstad made a layup. Here, the Warriors led the game 29-20. In the closing minutes of the half, the Hawks struggled to make the basket as the Warriors steadily held onto their lead. At halftime, the Warriors led the Hawks 38-24. 

Second Half (Wisconsin Lutheran 56 - Illinois Tech 46)

• The second half continued in favor of the Warriors although the Hawks began to knock down baskets. With 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Hawks trailed the Warriors 64-42. Baskets continued to go in favor of the Warriors and the Hawks were unable to catch up as they fell by a final score of 94-70. 

Scarlet Hawk Standouts

• Price led the Hawks with 22 points, a career high. Price finished with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. 

• Otis Reale notched 12 points, 2 rebounds, and tied for the lead in assists with 3. 

• Milos Dugalic recorded 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block. 

Warrior Standouts

• Ryan Broeckel led the Warriors with 27 points, and tied for the lead with 7 rebounds. Broeckel recorded one steal. 

• Jacob Stoltz tied for the lead in assists with 6 and steals with 2. Stoltz finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds. 

• Grayson Goetz tied for the lead in rebounds with 7, and assists with 6 while picking up 12 points. 

Inside the Box Score

• The Hawks finished 26-of-57 (45.6%) from the field, 9-of-24 (37.5%) from three, and 9-of-12 (75.0%) of their free throws. The Warriors went 37-of-70 (52.9%), 7-of-25 (28.0%), and 13-of-16 (81.3%) respectively.

• The Hawks were outrebounded 40-28.

• The Warriors picked up 27 points off the Hawks 23 turnovers 

Up Next

On Tuesday, the Hawks travel to Lisle, Ill. to take on the Benedictine University Eagles at 7:00p.m.