Dordt Catches Fire, Defeat V-Hawks

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team fell 114-65 to Dordt University (Iowa) in their first game of the Northwestern University (Iowa) Pizza Ranch Classic. The V-Hawks drop to 3-1 while the Defenders improve to 4-0.

Although Ben Olson score the first points of the game with a jumper at 19:15, that would be the V-Hawks only lead of the game. Dordt hit three's on four straight possessions to go up 14-6 at 15:50 and Bryce Coppock hit another one minute later. Cole Crubel hit a three of his own at 11:15, but that was followed by a 17-2 run, putting Dordt up 41-17 at the 6:53 mark. Dakota Mannel sank a pair of field goals late in the half, but the Defenders would still be up 54-26 going into the break.

Alex King led Viterbo with six first half points, while Olson added four points and three steals. Lucas Lorenzen led all players with 19 in the first half on 5-6 three-point shooting.

Lorenzen kicked off the second half just as strong by converting an and-one. Jack Monis' steal led to a Robert Cunitz layup and a 6-0 run, but Dordt would continue to pull away. Luke Spink set up Mannel for a V-Hawk three at 12:46 but they still trailed 41-72. Ty Van Essen's three at 3:59 put the Defenders into triple digits. Garrett Locy hit a late three set up by Colin Adams steal and Charlie Hansen, as well as the final shot of the game, leaving the score at 65-114.

Dordt outshot Viterbo both from the field, 68.3%-36.5%, and from three, 32.1%-22.7%, while also winning the rebounding battle 42-27. Viterbo did take better care of the ball with only seven turnovers to Dordt's 15.

Mannel and Monis each had 11 points, and Locy added 10. Lorenzen led all players with 22.

Viterbo returns to action in the final day of the Northwestern University Pizza Ranch Classic with a matchup against Northwestern.