EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team built an early 20-point lead and cruised from there in an 87-44 victory over Northland College on Tuesday at Zorn Arena. The Blugolds held the LumberJacks in single figures on the scoreboard until more than 14 minutes had passed, and stayed strong to win a second straight. Twelve different players scored for the Blugolds in a balanced showing.
The Blugolds' defense was staunch right out of the gates. They held the LumberJacks to three points through the first 10-plus minutes of the game to build an early 20-point lead that they never relinquished. UW-Eau Claire opened the game with a 23-3 run, using an effective press defense to routinely convert turnovers into points.
The Blugolds' lead was 47-20 at halftime. Nine different players scored in the first half for UW-Eau Claire, led by Brock Voigt's (Sr. – Sun Prairie, Wis.) 11 points. The Blugolds forced nine turnovers before halftime, and shot a blistering 60% on the other end of the court.
UW-Eau Claire continued to cruise in the second half. Players from up and down the roster contributed as the lead eclipsed 40. Michael Casper (Jr. - Merrill, Wis.) led all scorers with 17 points for the Blugolds. Alex Voigt (Sr. - Sun Prairie, Wis.) and Carter Hanke (Sr. - Marathon, Wis.) added 12 points apiece, and Brock Voigt finished with 11. Spencer Page (Sr. - Rice Lake, Wis.) had seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Gunnar Tebon (Jr. - Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), Cooper Laufenburger (So. - Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) and Drew Maloney (So. - St. Charles, Minn.) all had six points apiece. Preston Engen (Fr. - Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest) made his collegiate debut and scored four points in the second half. Devin Yeager (Fr. - St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Tech) also scored in his Blugolds debut.
UW-Eau Claire returns home on Saturday, Nov. 26, when it hosts Milwaukee School of Engineering at Zorn Arena. The contest is scheduled for 5 p.m.
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