Men's Basketball advances to NSAA Final Four after dramatic win over Waldorf
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Waldorf (5-23) | 33 | 39 | 72 |
|
Viterbo (16-12) | 29 | 45 | 74 |
LA CROSSE, Wis. - The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team hosted Waldorf University on Wednesday in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Quarterfinal game. The V-Hawks came back from an early deficit to win in dramatic fashion, 74-72.
Waldorf got the early 12-6 lead on Viterbo, but a three-pointer from Robert Cunitz cut their lead to three, putting the V-Hawks right back into things. With two minutes remaining in the first half, the Warriors' lead was 29-21 until Nolan Martin sunk back-to-back threes to cut their lead to four. The V-Hawks went into the locker room trailing 29-33.
After halftime, Martin made four consecutive points, followed by five consecutive points from Jack Monis. Martin and Monis contributed 12 of the teams' first 14 points to start the second half. Dakota Mannel converted two threes within two minutes to cut the Waldorf lead to two. Mannel then got a turnover and dished it to Cunitz to tie the game up at 52 points.
At the four-minute mark in the second half, Brady Polk drew an offensive foul with the game tied at 62 to get the ball back. Viterbo regained their first lead since three minutes into the game with a Cunitz layup just after. The V-Hawks had the 68-67 edge on Waldorf with a minute and a half remaining in regulation.
The game came down to the last second with Polk hitting two free throws with 5.2 seconds on the clock to put the V-Hawks up by two. Despite a final possession for the Warriors, Viterbo came out on top to get the win.
Polk led the way offensively, scoring 15 points. He also had a team-high eight rebounds. Cunitz recorded 14 points, Monis was right behind him with 13, followed by Martin with 12. Nicholas Malovrh compiled six assists on the night.
The V-Hawks will advance to the NSAA Final Four in Watertown, South Dakota. That game will take place on Saturday, February 26. Game time and opponent are to be determined. Follow the action on viterboathletics.com or by following us on social media.