WAVERLY, Iowa – Men's basketball defended Levick Arena with a gritty 70-63 win over Central College on Saturday, Feb. 14. The win moves Wartburg to 13-11 overall and 5-10 in American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play.
 
The Knights were led by a balanced offensive attack with four different players reaching double-digit scoring figures, highlighted by a 14 point and 12 rebound double-double performance from Ethan Yungtum.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  • The Dutch scored the first points of the game with a three pointer after two minutes of play and then a minute later, an Austin Bienemann steal led to a Cael Schramm dunk on the other end to make the score 3-2 after three and a half minutes of play
  • Central outscored Wartburg 8-1 over the next two minutes to take an 11-3 lead
  • The Knights got back on the scoreboard with two points each from Matson, Drake Wemark and Luke Ladwig, but Central led 18-9 with just under 10 minutes left in the first half
  • Wartburg kept chipping away at the Dutch lead with scores from Ethan Yungtum, Schramm and Ladwig that made the score 23-16 with 5:31 left in the half
  • The Knights continued to build momentum with a 7-2 run after a three pointer from Matson and scores from Schramm and Bienemann brought the Knights within two points as Central led 25-23 with just over three minutes before halftime
  • Ladwig scored four points along with two points from Yungtum to make the halftime score 32-29, Central still leading
• Second Half
  • Wartburg opened the second half outscoring Central 7-0 after early scores from Yungtum and Bienemann as well as a three pointer from Brody Bauer
    • The Knights led 36-32 after three minutes of play into the half
  • The Knights continued to add to their lead with three pointers made by Matson and Lyle Olsen, along with scores in the paint from Yungtum and Wemark to make the score 46-36 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game
  • Wartburg's lead stretched to 13 points after Matson's third three pointer of the game put the Knights in front 54-41 with 9:25 left to play
    • Wemark also knocked down a three and Schramm scored in the paint over the four-minute span
  • Yungtum drilled a three pointer to put the Knights in front 61-44 with six and a half minutes left following scores from Schramm and Ladwig
  • Central cut into the Wartburg lead after outscoring the Knights 11-7 over the next three and a half minutes despite a three pointer from Bauer and a ferocious two-hand jam from Bienemann over the Central defense
    • Wartburg led 68-55 with three minutes to go
  • Central was able to bring the deficit down to seven points, but the Knights were able to hold off the Dutch for a 70-63 win at home

 
Top Performers

• Ethan Yungtum
  • 14 points
  • 12 rebounds
  • Four steals
• Luke Ladwig
  • 12 points
  • Three rebounds
  • Three assists
  • One steal
• Cael Schramm
  • 11 points
  • Nine rebounds
• Mason Matson
  • 11 points
  • Three assists
  • Two steals
  • One rebound

 
Notes/Streaks

• Snaps previous four-game losing streak
• Snaps six-game losing streak to Central
  • First win over Central since the 2022-23 season at home
  • Wartburg holds a 72-57 series lead
  • The Knights are 42-26 at home against Central
• Yungtum has recorded a double double in 17/24 games this season
  • Second in Division III this season
• Fourth game with multiple three pointers off the bench for Matson
  • Third game with 10+ points
• Career best four steals for Yungtum
• Sixth-straight game with seven or more three pointers made a team for Wartburg
• 14^th game this season with multiple steals for Bienemann
• Wartburg had a 24-5 edge in second-chance points

 
Next Time Out
The Knights will close the regular season on Wednesday, Feb. 18 on the road against Simpson College at 7:30 p.m.