For the first time in four years, the men’s basketball team played NCAA Division I UW-Green Bay in their exhibition game. Green Bay had a lot of height compared to our Vikings, who were overpowered in the paint. Green Bay had one player who was over seven feet tall that pounded the boards and got the game high of 11 rebounds.
Out of Green Bay’s 87 points, 52 points came inside the paint, where they dominated Lawrence. The Vikings could not match Green Bay’s 87 points, losing after scoring only 56 points.
Since this was an exhibition game, the loss does not count against Lawrence’s record for the season. The game is viewed as a learning experience for the men. Even though Lawrence didn’t get many points inside, the Vikings were successful outside the paint. Sophomore guard Chris Siebert had the game high 17 points, and went five for eight at the free throw line.
The team, as a whole, went slightly over 40 percent for field goals, which is pretty good, especially in a first game. Starting at this high a mark, the Vikings can look ahead optimistically for the rest of the season.
The Vikings also had a higher three-point percentage than Green Bay, outshooting them 35 to 31 percent. Sophomore Max Burgess came off the bench to hit three three-pointers to contribute to the Vikings’ stats. Senior Tyler Crisman and sophomore Davis DeWolfe, both helped with the three-point percentage, each making one.
Losing by 31 points to a Division I team is not anything for the Vikings to be concerned about. The Vikings have a long season ahead of them, where they will play other D3 schools at a more level playing field. There are a lot of positives that came out of this game, and it looks like it is going to be a very promising season for Lawrence.
When asked about his thoughts on growth the team will make after their battle this past weekend, Siebert replied, “We’re just looking to get better and tougher every game. It was a great experience to play Green Bay and it will definitely make us more prepared for the rest of the way.”
The first home game for the Vikings is Nov. 18, so come out and support them. The game is at 7 p.m.