Ranked third in the nation, the Tigers improved to 9-1 on the season and moved into the championship game of its own tournament for the 23rd straight season. Wittenberg will square off with Marian, a 71-63 winner over Olivet in the other semifinal, in a game slated for an 8 p.m. tip-off on Friday in the HPER Center.
St. Norbert, which fell to 1-7 on the season, never led in the game and, despite the absence of 2005 North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year Daniel Russ in the Wittenberg lineup, never managed to combat the Wittenberg post game. Russ missed the game due to a leg injury, and his status is day-to-day heading into Friday's championship game against Marian.
The Tigers spread the wealth on offense and put the clamps down on defense, winning several key loose balls and forcing the Green Knights into a woeful 28 percent shooting performance from the field. Senior wing Kenny Brady was outstanding with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes of action, while senior post Dane Borchers added 11 points and five rebounds to the winning effort. Also of note was the play of junior post Jack Hemenway, who chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds in 16 solid minutes off the bench.
St. Norbert managed 10 points from John Suberlak and nine from Eric Bieniasz, but not much else went its way. The Green Knights committed three more turnovers and yielded three more rebounds to the Tigers, in addition to their shooting woes.