MEQUON, Wis. – The Edgewood College men's basketball team's last five games have been decided by a grand total of 10 points, but finally the pendulum seems to have swung in the Eagles' favor. Adam Freitag nailed a three-pointer with four seconds left and the Eagles hung for dear life for an 81-79 triumph over Concordia University Wisconsin. It was the Eagles' fifth straight game to come down to the final possession and Edgewood College's second straight win.
Neither team led by more than six points as the Eagles and Falcons battled through 15 ties and an astounding 22 lead changes. Tied at 59, Edgewood College (10-11, 9-7 NACC) compiled what amounted to a run in this contest, scoring six straight points for a 65-59 lead with 8:31 to play. Trevor Neale scored the first basket of the run tipping in a missed shot on a possession that featured four Eagle offensive rebounds. Freitag scored a basket on the next possession and Tal Diekvoss gave the Eagles their largest lead of the game after that.
After Concordia University Wisconsin (13-9, 11-6 NACC) took the lead on a pair of Bradley Prinsen free throws, Neale converted two free throws of his own to knot the game at 74-74 with 3:35 left. Joe Klocek, who produced points almost as fast as he accumulated minutes, made a jump shot and Emilio Lopez converted two free throws for a 78-74 lead at the two-minute mark. However, Prinsen scored on the next possession and Eric Kittel split the lane for a layup to tie the game for the 15th time at 78-78.
The Eagles called timeout, and then nearly avoided catastrophe. Diekvoss's inbounds pass was picked off by Kittel, but before the Falcons could set up for a game-winner Rusch snatched the ball right back. Following another timeout to calm down, Freitag drilled the go-ahead three-pointer with four seconds to play.
Edgewood College head coach Justin Meyer opted to foul the Falcons and surrender two free throws with a three-point lead. Prinsen made the first, but missed the second and Emilio Lopez grabbed the rebound for the Eagles and was immediately fouled with less than two seconds left. However, Lopez misfired from the line twice, giving the Falcons one last chance. CUW threw a long pass into the frontcourt and called timeout to set up a baseline inbounds play, but Keith Kahfeldt couldn't get a clean handle on the ball with one second left and the Eagles escaped with the win.
Neale scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the second half, and went 8-for-13 from the field. Klocek scored 17 points in only 21 minutes of action, hitting three three-point baskets and going 6-for-9 overall. Diekvoss also reached double figures with 10 points and shared team-high rebounding honors with Jake Heuer at eight boards apiece. Heuer also scored nine points of his own and dished out five assists. Edgewood College shot 47.5 percent from the field and 17-for-22 at the free throw line.
Concordia Wisconsin couldn't get a win despite an outstanding performance by Kahlfeldt who went 11-for-18 from the field for 26 points. Prinsen and Kittel each scored 13 points. The Falcons were undone by missing 11 free throws on the night, shooting just 56 percent at the line.
The win places Edgewood College into a tie for fifth place and gives the Eagles a chance to lock down a NACC Tournament berth on Saturday. If the Eagles can win on the road at Rockford on Saturday, they will clinch a postseason berth. Edgewood College is also just 1.5 games out of second place, giving them a possibility of earning a first round home game in the NACC Tournament, should they finish fourth or higher.
