ESCANABA, MI – The Norse Men's Basketball Team (4-2) came out on top of a tightly contested battle at home on Saturday afternoon. Bay College would take a 71-63 victory over the Western Tech Cavaliers (0-2) to win their fourth straight game.
The two teams would trade the lead multiple times throughout the first ten minutes of play. Bay would get a three-point basket from Reggie Dean (FR, Milwaukee, WI) with 10:55 remaining in the half to cap off a 7-0 run that would give them a 17-14 lead. The Norse would take advantage of poor shooting to hold the lead throughout the rest of the half. The Cavaliers would shoot just 29.3% from the field in the half, which included hitting just two of 16 attempts from behind the three-point arc. The Norse would hold an eight point lead at the half.
The Cavaliers would pick up the pace in the second half and cut into the gap. Though Bay was able to withstand some small runs from Western Tech early in the second half, Mahlik Lindsey (FR, Wauwatosa, WI) would nail a three-point basket with 9:49 remaining to give the Cavaliers their first lead since Dean's three-pointer in the first half. The teams would trade the lead back-and-forth over the next minute and a half, but with 8:19 remaining, Alfonzo Fields (SO, Milwaukee, WI) would hit a jump shot that would put the Norse in the lead for good. The Norse would secure a key rebound off of a missed shot on the next possession and Fields would strike again. He would get to the rim, make his layup and be fouled on the play. Out of a timeout, Fields would sink his shot from the free throw line to make it a four point lead. From that point on the Cavaliers would choose to put Bay on the line to secure the victory, and they would comply. The Norse would hit 12 of 15 attempts from the charity stripe down the stretch, eventually leading by as many as ten points. Western Tech would not be able to close the gap and would fall by eight points.
Kobi Barnes (SO, Milwaukee, WI) would lead all scorers with 15 points. He would also secure nine rebounds and block three shots. Fields would end his afternoon with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Dean would score 12 points and grab five rebounds. Tyler Willette (SO, Escanaba, MI) would add ten points.
Lindsey would lead the Cavaliers with 13 points off the bench. Joshua Brownlee (SO, Michigan City, IN) would score ten points, while Jason Gurholt (SO, La Crescent, MN) and Justen Kidd (SO, Brookfield, WI) would score ten.
The Norse will take part in the Lindquist Classic next weekend at Gogebic Community College. They will play Hibbing Community College on Saturday at 4 PM. On Sunday they will meet up with Vermillion Community College at 1 PM.