DE PERE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team fell to St. Norbert College 59-57 on Saturday after the Green Knights made the winning basket with 2.8 seconds remaining. St. Norbert's Michael Payant hit a shot from the baseline to lift the Green Knights past the Blugolds.
The Blugolds led for most of the first half after a hot start. They scored 14 of the game's first 20 points to establish an eight-point lead, but the Green Knights clawed back into the game over the course of the rest of the half. They tied the game on a 3-pointer with 3:44 left, but the Blugolds ended the period on a 4-2 run to take a 25-23 halftime lead.
UW-Eau Claire built another eight-point lead with an 8-0 spurt to begin the second half. But the Green Knights rallied again, tying the game with just under 10 minutes remaining. Alex Voigt (Sr. - Sun Prairie, Wis.) made a layup with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 57, but Payant hit the winner in the final two seconds. The Blugolds attempted a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it missed the mark.
Cade Hall (Jr. - Mauston, Wis.) led the Blugolds with nine points. Brock Voigt (Sr. - Sun Prairie, Wis.) had eight points and nine rebounds, and Carter Huschka (Jr. - Farmington, Minn.) added eight points of his own. David Ijadimbola (Jr. - Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center) and Nolan Blair (Jr. - Stevens Point, Wis.) had seven points apiece. The Blugolds shot 40% from the field.
UW-Eau Claire returns to action at the BSN Winter Classic on Dec. 29 in Oshkosh, Wis. The Blugolds face Marian (Wis.) at 5 p.m. at Oshkosh Arena.
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