(ST. NORBERT COMMUNICATIONS) CHICAGO – St. Norbert College senior forward Brandt Wilson poured in a career-high 25 points as the Green Knights picked up a 74-66 win over Illinois Institute of Technology in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at Keating Sports Center.
The Green Knights (7-1, 5-0 NACC) scored 42 points in the paint, led by Wilson’s big night. His 25 points bettered his previous career-high of 15 points set earlier this season against Lakeland University, finishing 11-for-17 from the floor while splashing 3 of 6 three-point field-goal attempts.
Playing its first road game in 28 days, St. Norbert trailed 11-10 six minutes into the game before going on an 18-6 run to take control. A Jaeden Grade basket, a pair of Charlie Geske free throws and a 3-pointer from Wilson capped a 7-0 spurt to start the stretch for a 17-11 edge with 11:19 left. The Scarlet Hawks, who were coming off a one-point win over NACC pre-season favorite Wisconsin Lutheran College this past Saturday, cut the deficit to 17-15 before St. Norbert came again with a 9-0 run. Garrett Grzesk made a pair of free throws, Jamison Nickolai tipped in a miss, Connor Pytleski finished a layup and Wilson canned another triple for a 26-15 lead with 7:06 left.
A Nickolai dunk put St. Norbert up 32-20 with 4:16 remaining. Illinois Tech got to within seven points, but two more Grzesk free throws and a Wilson layin put the Green Knights ahead 40-29 at the break.
St. Norbert had a pair of 15-point leads early in the second half, the latter at 47-32 with 16:43 to go. Illinois Tech went on an 14-5 run to get to within 52-46 with 11:17 left. The Scarlet Hawks would get to within five points twice, the latter at 56-51 with 8:31 left, but the Green Knights would get some breathing room after a conventional three-point play by Grade with 5:08 to go for a 63-53 lead. Illinois Tech would get no closer than six points, that coming with 31 seconds left.
St. Norbert shot 45.6 percent from the floor, making 26 of 57 field-goal attempts. The Green Knights were 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) at the free throw line. In addition to Wilson’s 25-point eruption, Grzesk added 15 points and Nickolai had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Illinois Tech shot 20-for-49 (40.6 percent) from the floor, but stayed in the game by making 14 of 33 three-point field goals (42.4 percent). Dario Biaggi led the Scarlet Hawks with 18 points.
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