WAVERLY, Iowa – Men's basketball snapped a four-game losing streak tonight with a 77-64 win at home over Simpson College on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Wartburg never trailed in tonight's contest and led by as many as 24 points in the second half.
The Knights are now 11-6 overall and have an American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) record of 3-5, while Simpson moves to 8-9 overall and 5-3 in A-R-C play.
Game Summary
- First Half
- It was all Wartburg to get the game started as Cael Schramm opened the scoring with a layup before Austin Bienemann scored four-straight points following a two-handed slam in the fast break and a made jumper
- Simpson scored the next five points to cut the Wartburg lead to one point before a Luke Ladwig three pointer put the Knights in front 9-5 after just over five minutes of play
- Another four-straight points from Bienemann and a three pointer from Gabe Trujillo added to Wartburg's lead to make the score 16-9 with 12:35 left in the first half
- Despite three points each from Jamison Poe, Trujillo and Lyle Olsen the Storm was able to cut the lead to 25-21 minutes later
- Wartburg responded with an 11-0 run with scores from Ethan Yungtum, Bienemann, Olsen, Ladwig and Trujillo to push the lead to 36-21 with 4:36 left in the half
- Yungtum made a three pointer and Bienemann scored in the paint to close out the first half with the Knights leading 41-28
- Second Half
- Another Yungtum three pointer and a layup from Schramm extended the Wartburg lead to 16 points after two minutes of play into the second half
- Over the next three and a half minutes Wartburg outscored Simpson 10-2 led by four points from Schramm and a three pointer from Olsen to give the Knights a 56-32 lead with 13:27 left to play
- Levi Gurwell and Isaac Averill from Simpson combined for a 12-0 run to bring the Storm back into the game down 56-44 with 10:22 left
- Despite scores from both Ladwig and Bienemann, Simpson cut the lead to 10 points two minutes later forcing a Wartburg timeout
- Simpson cut the lead to five points with 6:40 to go and again with 4:41 to go after scores from Poe and Schramm kept the Knights in front
- Drake Wemark knocked down a shot to put the Knights back in front by seven and the Knights didn't look back as scores from Schramm and a dunk from Mason Matson put the final touches on a 74-66 win
Top Performers
Notes/Streaks
- Third-straight win over Simpson
- Leads the all-time series 85-40
- Career high in rebounds for Bienemann (nine)
- Career high in blocks for Trujillo (three)
- Third time this season combing for eight total blocks/steals for Bienemann
- Yungtum and Olsen led the team in three points with two each
- Simpson held a 44-43 edge in rebounding, including 15-9 on the offensive glass
- Wartburg recorded 12 steals (one shy of season high) and 10 blocks today (season high)
Next Time Out
The Knights are back in action on Saturday, Jan. 24 for a home matchup against Coe College at 2 p.m. inside Levick Arena.
