GRINNELL - Wartburg College captured its fourth win in a row, rallying from a 57-50 halftime deficit to defeat previously-unbeaten Grinnell 111-97, Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Darby Gym in Grinnell.
Sophomore forward Lee Nelson dropped in a career single-game high 24 points to lead the way, while senior center Nate Schmidt added 22 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. The duo were among four Knights in double figures as junior guard James Menke finished with 17 points and senior guard Jason Steege, despite not converting or attempting a field goal, ended with 15 points due to a 15 of 16 effort at the free throw line.
Behind a school record 75 percent field goal shooting night, Wartburg posted 50 points in the opening frame and 61 in the second half, recording the program’s first 100-point game since last November’s 130-128 overtime loss to the Pioneers in Waverly. Grinnell (5-1) held a 57-50 halftime advantage and built the lead to as much as 10 early in the second frame before the Orange and Black rallied and overtook them on a lay-up by Menke with 14:09 to play. Wartburg gradually built their advantage the rest of the way, aided by a 26 of 28 free throw performance in the span.
Grinnell’s John Grotberg tallied 36 points to lead all scorers.
NOTES – Menke’s 17 points were also a single-game career high…Schmidt’s 22-point effort was the first 20-point plus game for the senior since a home game with Loras last February and the seventh of his career…Steege, moving into the top 20 on Wartburg’s all-time scoring list with 1,129 points for No. 19, ended just two made free throws shy of tying the single-game school record set by Mike Barkley in 1979-80, while the team was just one attempts short of tying the single-game mark set against Manchester in the 1954-55 season…Wartburg has made 20 or more free throws in five of their six games this season.