Spartans Close Out Home Schedule with Loss to Wartburg
Feb 15, 2017
DUBUQUE, Iowa – In a game with a great deal of Iowa Conference Tournament implications, the University of Dubuque men's basketball team was defeated by Wartburg College, 61-80.
Tonight started out as a tightly contested game, with neither team leading by more than four points in the first 13 minutes of the game, to go along with four lead changes in the time frame. Wartburg was able to expand their lead to seven points going into halftime.
In the second half there was not much that the Spartans could do, as the Knights caught fire, expanding their lead to as many as 26 points at one point. Their game changing run was led by an onslaught of three pointers, as they hit seven of 11 three pointers in the second half and 13 for the game. It seemed as if every time the Spartans made a mini run, the Knights answered right back.
TJ Lake led the Spartans in scoring on Wednesday night with 18 points, while also dishing out a team high three assists. Jamaree Atwater and Jacob Mohlis were the only two other UD starters to reach double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Six different Spartans come off the bench to score for UD, but no one had more than Zach Randolph’s five, in his eight minutes of action.
UD struggled to find its rhythm on offense, shooting just 38.9% (21-54) from the field and only 30% (9-30) from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Wartburg shot 51.7% from the field, including 58.3% in the second half alone.
The Spartans will close out the regular season on Saturday afternoon as they will travel to Cedar Rapids to take on Coe College. UD sits at seventh place in the IIAC with one game remaining and the top six teams make the tournament. Based on tie breakers, the Spartans would need to win on Saturday and have Wartburg or Central lose in order to make the IIAC Conference Tournament.
