by MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – Senior Sam Leisemann (Fall River, Wis.) scored a game-high 20 points to lead three players in double figures and top-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran College captured its 12th Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament title following a 66-42 win over second-seeded St. Norbert on Sunday at the Time of Grace Center.
The Warriors (23-4), who advance to their 12th NCAA Tournament in program history, held the Green Knights (18-10) to their lowest point output of the season.
WLC and SNC went back-and-forth for the first three-plus minutes of the game, before layups from Leisemann and sophomore Jayden Hill (Kenosha, Wis.) sent the lead to 11-6 at the 5:16 mark of the first quarter. St. Norbert came within one at 11-10, but junior Lexy Smit (Brandon, Wis.) capped a 5-0 spurt with a three to close the opening quarter.
Wisconsin Lutheran opened the second quarter by scoring the first seven points for a 23-10 advantage at the 6:46 mark. Freshman Margie Stevens’ (Oneida, Wis.) layup gave the Warriors a first-half high 16-point lead with 3:21 remaining. The Green Knights cut their halftime deficit down to 11 points with a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
Junior Mack Hogenson (Neenah, Wis.) knocked down a three-pointer on the second possession of the second half and junior Ainsley Howard (Jefferson, Wis.) later hit two of three free throws for a 15-point lead. SNC used a 6-0 spurt to trim its deficit into single digits with four minutes remaining, but layups from Hill and Hogenson followed and the Warriors went into the fourth quarter with a 42-29 lead.
WLC answered an opening fourth-quarter basket by St. Norbert with a 9-0 scoring run, capped by a three from senior Meggie Scott (Yorkville, Ill.) to open up a 20-point advantage at 51-31 with 6:46 left. Hogenson hit a trio of triples in the final frame, two of which extended the advantage to 22 points. Wisconsin Lutheran’s lead never dropped below 17 points over the final 7:21 of the game, and reached a game-high 24 points in the final minute after a pair of free throws from Hill.
Leisemann led all scorers with 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting. Hogenson finished 4-for-4 from beyond the arc for 14 points, while Stevens added 12 points. Hill chipped in with eight points and a game-high eight rebounds. Scott distributed a game-high five assists. The Warriors, who made their 14th appearance in the NACC Tournament Final in the league’s 18-year history, shot an even 50 percent for the game and outscored St. Norbert 36-20 in the paint and 12-2 in second chance points.
