ROCKFORD, Ill.- Saturday afternoon was a culminating day in a couple of ways for the Rockford University men's basketball team. It marked the final home game for the six seniors on the roster. A win today would also clinch the final spot in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tournament. With a lot of emotions and a season on the line the Regents welcomed the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors to the Seaver Center.
Rockford's defense started the game tough forcing the Warriors to miss seven of their first eight shots in route to an early 7-2 lead five minutes into the game. The Regents would continue to maintain a decent lead with ten minutes left in the first half. After some quick passing Phil Andrade (South Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Trail) found John O'Bryan (Richmond, Ky./Madison Central) for a three-pointer to extend Rockford's lead to 18-9.
A short time later the Warriors went on a small run and the score stood at 20-19 Rockford with 6:16 left in the first half. Zach Wallace (Rockford, Ill./Belvidere) made two free throws at the 5:53 mark and after a steal on the Warriors next offensive possession David Dixon (Bellwood, Ill./St Joseph) dunked the ball to put Rockford back up five. Wisconsin Lutheran and Rockford traded baskets the rest of the way with Rockford's lead not swaying by more than a few points. The Warriors made the last basket of the half to put the first half score at 30-28 in favor of Rockford.
The only scoring for both teams for the first four and a half minutes of the second half occurred via the free throw with Wisconsin Lutheran hitting one and Andrade hitting four for Rockford. The Warriors then completed a three-point play to get within two points but Scott Suchy (Genoa, Ill./Genoa-Kingston) answered right away with a three-pointer. A couple of possessions later Suchy hit another three-pointer to bring the score to 42-34 Rockford with 13:44 left in the game. A few possessions later the Warriors hit a couple of three-pointers in a row and then a two-pointer to cut Rockford's lead down to two with ten minutes left in the game.
Wisconsin Lutheran hit two free throws at the 8:42 mark to tie the game up at 48 and made two more at the 6:30 mark to go ahead 53-52 for their first lead of the game. A short time later Dixon hit a big three-pointer to regain the lead for Rockford. The two teams would trade baskets over the next couple of minutes and after hitting a three-pointer the Warriors took a 63-59 lead with 1:58 left in the game. With 1:23 left in the game Suchy was fouled making a layup and he made the free throw to get Rockford within one point. Andrade drew an offensive foul charge with 12.1 seconds left to give Rockford the games potential final possession. Suchy just missed on a fade away and with 3.1 seconds left Rockford fouled Wisconsin Lutheran who made both free throws. The ball, which was tipped away, was inbounded to Wallace just after half-court. Andrade came up with it and with a half second left on the clock he threw up a three-pointer which just barely missed going in. Wisconsin Lutheran came away with the 65-62 victory.
With the loss today Rockford and Wisconsin Lutheran split the season matchup so Rockford would need to win the tie-breaker to make the conference tournament. For that to happen Rockford needs three things to occur in the final week of the season. The Regents would need to win their final game of the season on February 19th at Benedictine at 7:00 p.m., Wisconsin Lutheran would have to lose its final game at MSOE and Lakeland needs to lose its final game at Edgewood. MSOE defeated Wisconsin Lutheran 70-64 earlier in the season and Lakeland defeated Edgewood 78-70 earlier this year.
