WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg men's basketball is back in action this week as they are set to open American Rivers Conference play on the road against the University of Dubuque on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and then will be back at Levick Arena on Saturday, Nov. 27 for a non-conference game against No.15 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Tuesday, Nov. 23 – 7:30 p.m. –Dubuque, Iowa – Stoltz Sports Center
Wartburg Knights (4-0, 0-0 A-R-C) at UD Spartans (2-1, 0-0 A-R-C)
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Saturday, Nov. 27 – 2:00 p.m. – Waverly, Iowa – Levick Arena
Wartburg Knights (4-0, 0-0 A-R-C) vs Wisconsin-La Crosse Eagles (5-0, 0-0)
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Last Time Out
In their last contest, the Knights defeated Wisconsin Lutheran College 78-59 to win the Buzz Levick Tip-Off Tournament Championship. This was another balanced offensive showing for the Knights, with five players in double digit scoring. The Orange & Black shot 62.3% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc in the matchup. The Knights were dominant in points in the paint throughout the tournament with a total of 92 points between the two games.
Wartburg's defense had another strong performance in the championship game holding the Warriors to 31% from the field and just 16% from three after the Warriors had shot 50%+ from the field and 34.8% from three point range the game prior. The Knights had a rebound advantage of 46-31 over the Warriors and turned 15 offensive rebounds into 11 second chance points.
The Orange & Black had two players recognized to the all-tournament team in
Drew Olson and
Jack Molstead. Molstead was selected as the tournament MVP after averaging 12.5 points per game, six assists per game, and five and half rebounds per game in the tournament. The junior guard shot 56.3% from the field in the two tournament games and 33.3% from three.
Season Leaders
Olson is leading the Knights in scoring as well as rebounding so far this season with an average of 17.5 points per game and just over seven rebounds per game. The senior guard has been very efficient in his scoring as he is shooting 71.1% from the field and 66.7% from three-point range. Olson also has added four and a half assists per game and over two and a half steals per game on the defensive end.
Molstead is averaging a team-high 7.75 assists to start the season as well as 12.8 points per game. The Charles City, Iowa native is shooting 52.9% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Molstead has averaged four and half rebounds per game and recorded seven total steals so far this season.
Marshun Williams,
Codey Hicks and
Keagan John are all averaging over 10 points per game for the Knights' offense. Williams has been a spark off the bench averaging 13.3 points per game on 57.1% shooting from the field, as well as 92.9% from the free throw line. Hicks is shooting 82.8% from the field to start the season and is averaging 12.5 points per game. John leads the team in three-pointers made with five and is averaging 10.3 points per game with 51.6% shooting from the field.
University of Dubuque
The Spartans were the A-R-C preseason favorites as voted on by the coaches and have started the season 2-1. UD's last contest was a 79-62 home win over Edgewood College.
Dubuque has averaged 70.3 points scored through the beginning of the season and is allowing an average of 64.7 points. The Spartan offense is shooting a 41.3% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.
Season Leaders
Peter Ragen is leading the Spartans in scoring with 15.7 points per game on 44.4% field goal shooting. The senior forward has also added 5.7 rebounds per game and three total steals.
Brock Simon and Sam Kilburg lead UD in assists so far this season with 2.34 per game. Simon is scoring 8.3 points per game and Kilburg is at 10.3 points per game.
Levi Scheuermann is the team's leading rebounder with an average of 6.3 boards per game. The junior forward has also added 10 points per game and is shooting a team-high 78.6% from the free throw line.
Wisconsin-La Crosse
The Eagles have started the season 5-0 and enter the week as the No. 15 ranked team in the nation according to the latest d3hoops.com rankings.
In its last game, UW-La Crosse defeated Buena Vista University 83-56 at home. The Eagles will be in action on Tuesday, Nov. 23 with a road game at Ripon College before the matchup with Wartburg.
The Eagles are scoring an average of 75 points per game while shooting 47.5% from the field and 43.3% from beyond the arc. UW-La Crosse is outrebounding opponents 38.8 to 30.8 on average per game. The Eagles' defense is holding opponents to an average of 56.6 points per game on 36.3% from the field and 21.7% from three.
Season Leaders
Ethan Anderson is the Eagles' leading scorer to start the season with an average of 20.6 points per game. Anderson is shooting 58.1% from the field and 35.3% from three-point range so far this season. The senior guard is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game and two assists per game and has added five steals and three blocks.
Wyatt Cook and Sean Suchomel are both leading the team in assists with an average 3.7 assists per game. Cook is averaging 10.8 points per game and six rebounds per game, while Suchomel is scoring 4.6 points per game and a team high seven rebounds per game.
Series History
Wartburg leads the all-time series over the University of Dubuque 89-49. The first matchup came in the 1947-48 season where Dubuque won 70-40 and the Spartans have won three of the last five matchups. Wartburg's last win over UD came during the 2020 season on the road.
The Knights also lead the all-time series against UW-La Crosse five wins to two. The teams have played three times since the 2005-06 season and the Eagles have won two of the last three.
Schedule Update
The previously scheduled home game against Wisconsin-Eau Claire has been rescheduled to Thursday, Dec. 9 at Levick Arena with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.
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