Stritch Names Diener Men’s Basketball Head CoachFormer University of Virginia assistant to lead Wolves
May 11, 2009
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Wolves head coach
Drew Diener
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Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University Director of Athletics, Pat Clemens, has announced the hiring of Drew Diener as the new head coach of the Wolves men’s basketball program on Monday morning.
“It’s with pride and excitement that we welcome Drew to the staff here at Stritch,” Clemens said. “He brings with him a wealth of experience, is motivated, and driven to succeed, which are all qualities we feel will allow him to be successful here as the head coach of our men’s basketball program.”
Diener comes to Stritch after having served as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia where he coached under Dave Leitao for the past two seasons. Prior to coming to the bench as an assistant, he was the Cavaliers’ director of men’s basketball operations for two seasons after leaving DePaul University where he held the same post as a graduate assistant for the Blue Demons program.
Before entering the college ranks as a coach, Diener was an assistant coach at Northridge Prep in Niles, Ill for a season. While there, Diener also served as the Assistant Director of Athletics and assistant golf coach.
A native of Fond du Lac, Wis., Diener is a 2003 graduate of Saint Louis University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. As a member of the basketball team at Saint Louis, Diener ranked sixth on the program’s career three-point field goals made list with 124 by the time he graduated, good for a 40 percent clip from beyond the arc.
During his junior season, Diener was named the team’s Most Improved Player. Adding to that, he was also a part of a Saint Louis program that participated in one National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Tournament and in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) twice during his time as a Billiken.
Diener formerly played at Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac where he was the 1998 Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year and an All-America selection by Street & Smith’s. He helped Goodrich, which was coached by his father, Dick, to four consecutive conference titles and a berth in the state quarterfinals as a senior. His brother Drake and cousin Travis were teammates on the team his senior season. Diener graduated holding seven school records at Goodrich, including career points (1,505) and single-game scoring (45).
Basketball has been a way of life for Diener as he comes from one of the more notable basketball families in the state of Wisconsin. His brother Drake played at DePaul and is now playing professionally in Italy, while his cousin Travis played at Marquette and is now with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. Diener’s father was a high school coach before his retirement and was inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in October of 2007. His cousin Rachel played on the women’s basketball team at Saint Louis. Diener’s older brother Derek is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and served in the Middle East.
“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to take over at the men’s basketball program at Cardinal Stritch University,” Diener said. “The Wolves have a strong tradition of winning and we’ll work very hard to continue that tradition while making sure we develop our student-athletes and put them into positions to make them most successful both on and off the court.”
Stritch is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and also participates in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). The Wolves finished the 2008-09 season with a record of 22-8 overall and 10-2 in the CCAC where the program was the conference champions under recently retired head coach Denny Fox whom Diener replaces.
Triplett Receives More Postseason Recognition Stritch Men’s basketball star achieves All-American statusMar. 23, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball junior Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) continues to garner awards even as the 2008-09 basketball season has ended. Triplett was most recently named a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American honorable mention pick for the second consecutive season. Adding to the accolades, the Wolves’ forward has also been named an All-State performer by Inside Wisconsin Sports Magazine.
For Triplett, the two postseason awards add to a strong season as he was named to the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) first team All-Conference team for the third straight season.
“Trey was great for us the entire season,” head coach Denny Fox said. “His first three seasons for us have really shown was a great player he can be and it’s always special to watch a player like Trey get recognized for his abilities.”
Triplett was strong all season long, leading the Wolves to 22-8 record and the CCAC regular season conference championship with a 10-2 record. The Wolves’ forward led the team in almost every major offensive category. Triplett led Stritch in scoring average (19.2 ppg), overall points (575), field goals made (224), field goal percentage (.569), and also led the team in rebounds (239). He also contributed with nine double doubles during the season.
The Lisle, Ill., native’s statistics were just as strong when put up against others in the conference. His points per game total and field goal percentage rated him second in the entire conference. The junior’s rebounding total of 239 puts him at the top of the conference.
Looking forward to next season, Triplett will be among all five starters that will be returning for Stritch lineup in the 2009-10 season. He also sits at 1,633 career points and will most likely reach the 2,000 point plateau during his senior campaign.
Stritch Drops Heartbreaker to Trinity Christian Fox leads the Wolves in final gameFeb. 28, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – Fans filled the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium for Saturday’s Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship game, and though some may have lacked seats, there was no lack for excitement. However, the Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team fell to the Trinity Christian College Trolls in the final seconds of the game, 56-53.
The first period was a back and forth battle between the two teams. Stritch got strong efforts from Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), who put up eight points in the half, and Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.), who added seven. Eleven lead changes and five ties later, the half ended 26-25, Stritch with a one point advantage.
The Trolls came out strong in the second half, and after losing their lead on a free throw by Alex Rustiucs (Hudsonville, Mich.), Stritch would never regain control. TCC extended their lead to seven with just under 13 minutes to play, as Jonathon Huizinga (Elmhurst, Ill.) scored on a fast break after a steal by Will Bruinsma (Mew Era, Mich.). Stritch quickly fought their way back, evening the score at 44 on a jumper by Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.).
Trinity Christian managed to regain their lead, going up by five with two and half minutes to play. Two free throws by Triplett and a three-pointer by Braddix tied the game with 1:55 remaining. However, a foul sent Bruinsma to the line, where he sunk two, putting the Trolls back in control. Another free throw, bye Huizinga put the score at 56-53 with 25 seconds to play.
Though Stritch made gallant attempts to put the game into overtime, they could not score against the Trolls’ aggressive defense. On a last ditch attempt by Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.), it looked like he would go to the line, as he was pushed to the ground, but no foul was called. Though the Wolves’ were able to obtain the rebound, no shot was made, ending Head Coach Denny Fox’s coaching career with the three point loss.
Leading Stritch in the loss were Braddix and Triplett, who contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively. Triplett also joined Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) in pulling down eight rebounds.
Bruinsma led all scorers with 19 points. Huizinga netted 12 for the Trolls, while Rusticus registered a team-high six rebounds.
The loss drops Stritch to 22-8 overall this season. Trinity Christian moves to 23-8, and will advance to the NAIA National Tournament.
Five Members of Stritch Men’s Basketball Garner All-Conference Status Triplett, D’Amico, Braddix, Barron, and Fox all earn season awardsFeb. 27, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – When the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) released its annual Men’s Basketball All-Conference team, the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves found themselves represented well on this year’s list. Five members from the Stritch men’s basketball team garnered All-Conference status as Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.), Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.), Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.), and head coach Denny Fox were all named recipients.
Triplett, a junior, has been a major offensive force all season long. The Wolves’ forward leads the team in almost every major offensive category. Triplett leads Stritch in scoring average (19.3 ppg), overall points (561), field goals made (218), field goal percentage (.577), and even leads the team in rebounds (231). He has also added nine double doubles to the winning cause this season.
The Lisle, Ill., native’s statistics were just as strong when put up against others in the conference. His points per game total and field goal percentage has him second in the entire conference. The junior’s rebounding total of 231 puts him at the top of the conference. For Triplett, this season marks the third consecutive year being named first team All-Conference.
Brandon D’Amico earns his first appearance on the list with the first team selection. A sharp three-point shooter from Geneva, Ill., D’Amico led the Wolves in made three-point shots (47) and was seventh in the conference. The second-year guard ranked second in scoring this season for Stritch (14.5 ppg) and was fourth in the conference in free throw shooting percentage (.733).
Entering the season, D’Amico’s previous career-high in points for a game was 14. The Stritch sophomore broke that barrier to set a new career-high with 27 points back on Jan. 10 in a 82-72 win over Trinity Christian College, the team the Wolves will face for the conference championship on Saturday.
For Kody Braddix, this is the junior’s first appearance on the All-Conference list as this is his first season at Stritch. A transfer from Central Lakes Community College, the Wolves’ guard made a solid impression on opponents all season long as the first-year player was third on the team in total points (377). Braddix led Stritch in steals with 49 on the year and was second in assists (100). The Glendale, Ariz. native was fifth in the conference in assists per game (3.41 apg) during the season.
Barron joins D’Amico and Braddix as a first-time recipient of All-Conference status. Named honorable mention, Barron enjoyed a solid season as he ranked fourth in the league in assists per game (3.48 apg) and tops on the Wolves in total assists (106). Barron is another one of the Wolves’ sharp shooters from the three-point arc. The sophomore sits behind D’Amico in made three-pointers (41) on the team.
Adding to the honors, Stritch head coach Denny Fox was named Co-Coach of the Year with Trinity Christian College’s Tim Walker. Fox’s team was strong all year as the Wolves won 22 games this season, marking the 13th time that the program has reached the 20-plus win plateau.
Always tough in the CCAC, Stritch ranked first in field goal percentage (.478), second in scoring average (81.7 ppg), second in defense (73.1 ppg), third in assists (481), and third in blocks (75). The Wolves also won the conference for the seventh time under Fox with a 10-2 record.
For Fox, the award comes during his 18th and final season on the bench for Stritch and is the sixth time he’s won award.
The announcement of the awards comes on the eve of the CCAC Tournament championship game which will feature Stritch and the Trinity Christian Trolls. The two teams are slated to match up on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium on the campus of Stritch. The winner of the game will earn the right to represent the CCAC in the National Athletic Intercollegiate Athletic (NAIA) Men’s Basketball National Tournament.
Wolves Advance to Conference Championship GameBraddix leads Stritch to victory over Trinity InternationalFeb. 25, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. - Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) led the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team to a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Tournament semifinals victory over the Trinity International Trojans by a score of 74-55. The victory poises the Wolves for the championship game which will be hosted at Stritch this Saturday.
The Wolves held the lead through much of the first half over the Trojans, using a fast-paced game plan to wear down the visitors. The style of play by Stritch was never more evident than in the 12 minute mark of the half. The 5-foot-10 Braddix, who had just missed on a jump shot, raced the length of the court and soared over the Trojans’ Dustin Johnston (Muscoda, Wis.) to block, what would’ve been, an open lay-up to spark the crowd.
A minute later, the Wolves responded on the offensive end as Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) slammed home a dunk off a pass from Braddix. Triplett would lead Stritch to a 32-24 lead at the half by leading the way with 12 points.
The second half was all about offense as the Wolves posted 42 points in the half. Triplett entered the period with 12 points, but would finish with 15. While the TIU defense was busy holding Triplett in place, they could do nothing to stop Braddix.
The junior guard started the period with six points, but finished the game with a game-high 18 points by adding 12 in the period. The trio of Braddix, Triplett, and Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) would combine for 43 points on the night and 14 rebounds to lead the Wolves to the win.
Trinity International struggled much of the evening as the Trojans shot just 31 percent from the field against Stritch. Patrick Atkins (Chicago, Ill.) led the Trojans in scoring with 12 points in the loss.
The win propels the Wolves’ overall record to 22-7 while the Trojans’ season comes to a close at 6-26. Stritch will now await the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Trinity Christian College and Judson University. While the championship game will be hosted at Stritch on Saturday, Feb. 28, the game time is still to be determined.
Wolves Blow By LakersTriplett and Braddix star in win. Feb. 21, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team took on the Silver Lake College Lakers on Saturday. The Wolves finished with a 12-point lead, claiming the win in a sloppy, foul-littered game, as the two teams combined for 50 total fouls.
Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) hit the first shot for the Wolves, who were able to pull ahead by eight in the first four minutes. The Lakers, however, found a spark in Dwight Weathers, as he scored nine points in under two minutes. The Wolves defense soon got back on track, finding a way to quiet Weathers, and extending their lead to 12 at the end of the period, as Nate Lemmens (Rhinelander, Wis.) found Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) under the basket for a layup in the last five seconds.
Stritch came out strong in the second half, at one point extending their lead to 23, as Navjot Singh (Mundelein, Ill.) hooked up with Triplett on an impressive alley-oop. The Lakers once again battled back in the last few minutes in the period, closing the game with a score of 82-70, in favor of the Wolves.
Leading Stritch in the victory were Triplett and Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.). Triplett contributed 23 points and nine rebounds, while Braddix netted 20 points. Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) and Lemmens each registered nine points. The pair also led the team in assists, as D’Amico dished out five and Lemmens four.
Richard Kelly Jr. led Silver Lake in the loss with 18 points. Weathers contributed 13 points, while Josiah Elkins added 10 points and eight rebounds.
The win takes Stritch to 21-7, while the Lakers fall to 4-21.
Saturday’s game was the last regular season for Stritch. The team is currently tied for first place in the CCAC, and will begin tournament play this week.
Men’s Basketball Wins Important Game against Purdue CalumetWin puts Stritch back into first place with Trinity Christian lossFeb. 18, 2009
Hammond, Ind. – Things are looking a little bit brighter for the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves as they claimed an important win on the road against Purdue University Calumet by a score of 98-78 on Wednesday evening. The victory also kept the Wolves in the running for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship.
Needing to win their last conference game of the season, the Wolves played poised basketball against the Peregrines. Shooting 43 percent from the field in the first half, Stritch held a 37-35 lead going into the break.
As they’ve done all season long, the Wolves came out firing in the second half by posting 61 points on 45 percent shooting to open up a large lead and cruise to the victory.
Using a balanced attack, Stritch got a game-high 21 points out of Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) and 18 points from point guard Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.). There was plenty of offensive help to go around as Navjot Singh (Mundelein, Ill.) added 15 points. Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) contributed to the cause with a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounnds.
The Peregrines were led in scoring by Antonio McNeal (Hammond, Ind.) and Antonio Hurt (Michigan City, Ind.). McNeal led the way in scoring in the loss with 18 points while Hurt added 14 for PUC.
With the win, the Wolves improved to 20-7 overall and 10-2 in conference. The loss drops the Peregrines to 3-24 overall and 3-8 in the CCAC.
After winning on Wednesday night, the Wolves found themselves awaiting results from Palos Heights, Ill. where Trinity Christian College was taking on Judson University. The Trolls started the day one game ahead of the Wolves in the conference standings. A loss to Judson would create a potential three-way tie for the conference title.
Things lined up in favor of Stritch as the Judson Eagles would end up defeating the Trinity Christian Trolls by a score of 80-76. For the moment, the Wolves now sit in first place with their 10-2 record while both Trinity Christian and Judson sit at 9-2 with one more conference game to play.
Whoever ends up as the number one seed will receive a first round bye in the CCAC Conference Tournament which is slated to start on Feb. 23.
The Wolves will close out their regular season with a non-conference game at home against Silver Lake College on Saturday, Feb. 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium.
Braddix Leads Wolves to WinJ
unior guard sparks win in final minute of play Feb. 14, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – Junior transfer Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) had a strong second half that included ten points and the game-winning shot to send the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves to a 63-60 win over visiting Purdue University North Central.
After a tight first period, the Wolves and Panthers entered the second half with Stritch leading by one point at 26-25. The second half of play was a mirror of the first half as both teams went shot-for-shot with each other as the game was tied seven times throughout the contest.
Tied at 58-58, the Panthers’ Nick Sweet (Bridgeman, Mich.) cut through the Wolves’ defense to score on a layup putting Stritch down 60-58. With 2:15 to play in the game Brandon D’Amico was fouled by Purdue North Central’s Marcus Isaac (Indianapolis, Ind.) sending him to the foul line. D’Amico was successful in the first free throw attempt, but missed on the second leaving the Wolves down 60-59.
A minute would pass as both teams played strong defense by causing missed shots and turnovers. With :54 seconds left to play, Stritch was the team to break through the scoring drought as Braddix connected on a fade-away jump shot to put the Wolves up 61-60.
The Panthers attempted to respond, but could not as a jump ball call would end up turning the ball over to Stritch. The Panthers’ Avance Byrd (Tacoma, Wash.) would end up fouling Braddix sending him to the free throw line. The Wolves’ guard didn’t disappoint as he made good on both attempts, nailing down the 63-60 victory.
Along with Braddix’s 10 points in the half, Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) would end up leading all Stritch scorers with 16 points. The Panthers were led is scoring by Isaac, who netted 17 points in the loss.
The win improves the Wolves to 19-7 overall and 9-2 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). It also keeps Stritch in the championship hunt as they sit one half game behind Trinity Christian College. The loss sends the Panthers to 2-26 overall and down to 0-11 in the conference.
The Wolves will close out their regular season with an important game against Purdue University Calumet on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The game will take place down in Hammond, Ind. where tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m.
Wolves Cruise to Win Over Crimson WaveVictory keeps Stritch in the hunt for conference titleFeb. 11, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team cruised to a conference victory over the Calumet College of St. Joseph Crimson Wave by a score of 83-62 on Wednesday evening. With the win, the Wolves continue to stay in the hunt for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) title.
The first half was in the Wolves’ favor as the Crimson Wave couldn’t get on track offensively shooting just 30 percent from the field. With Stritch hitting on nearly 41 percent of their shots, the Wolves entered the halfway point up 30-16.
Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) and Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) paced the way towards a steady opening half of play by Stritch as both scored eight points. Triplett added to his scoring by also pulling down eight rebounds.
The second half saw the Crimson Wave attempt a comeback as Calumet shot 55 percent from the field. Not to be outdone, the Wolves responded with 61 percent shooting which was highlighted by Navjot Singh (Mundelein, Ill.) and his three three-pointers during a two-minute span in the final seven minutes of play.
Singh would finish the game with 13 points on the night.
Triplett would end up being one of the top scorers on the evening as he dropped in 17 point and pulled in 11 total rebounds for his ninth double double of the season. Braddix would double his scoring production of the first half to net 16 points in the win.
The Crimson Wave was led in scoring by Fares Saqf Alhait (Amman, Jordan) with 17 points. Waybon McConnell (Chicago, Ill.) added 13 points in the loss for CCSJ.
With the win, Stritch improves to 18-7 overall and 8-2 in the conference. The Wolves currently sit just a half game out of first behind Trinity Christian College. Calumet St. Joseph falls to 6-21 on the season and 3-6 in the CCAC.
The Wolves will be in action again on Saturday, Feb. 14 at home against Purdue North Central. Tip-off is slated to be at 4 p.m. at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium.
Wolves Take Two against TIUWomen and Men’s Basketball Defeat Trojans
Feb. 7, 2009
Deerfield, Ill. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves women and men’s basketball programs swept the Trinity International University Trojans in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) basketball double-header on Saturday evening. The women kicked off the evening with a 77-48 win while the men followed it up with a 91-75 victory.
In the women’s game, the Wolves went down 3-0 quickly in the opening minutes. The deficit didn’t last long as Stritch turned the tables on TIU going on a 23-7 scoring run courtesy of Renet Skorusa (Lemont, Ill.) and her four points and four rebounds.
Skorusa ended up having a big night for Stritch as she tallied a double double by scoring 17 points and hauling in 10 rebounds. With Skorusa leading the way, the Wolves improved to 16-9 overall and 8-0 in the CCAC. The loss drops the Trojans to 15-10 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
In the men’s game, the Wolves took control early on and never looked back. The Wolves jumped out to a big early lead against the Trojans with runs of 9-2 and 16-2 in the first 10 minutes of play. Stritch was hot from beyond the arc making nine of their first 14 three-point attempts.
19 points and seven rebounds by Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) along with another 19 points from Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) and his five rebounds, the Wolves claimed the 91-75 victory. The win snaps a two-game conference losing streak, improving Stritch to 6-2 in the CCAC and 17-7 overall.
Both of the Wolves basketball teams will take to the hardwood again on Wednesday, Feb. 11 for a CCAC double-header against Calumet College of St. Joseph. The women’s game will start at 5:30 p.m., inside the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium, with the men’s game to follow.
Wolves Overwhelm PioneersTriplett shines in win
Feb. 5, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team, led by junior Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), beat Northland Baptist Bible College 84-68 on Thursday night. The Wolves received big contributions from all of their starters in the matchup, and also netted an impressive 23 points off the bench.
Stritch captured an early lead in the first half, draining three three-pointers in the first five minutes, two by Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.), who went on to score 13 points in the half. The Wolves continued to expand their lead, highlighted by an 18 point margin, gained on Barron’s third from beyond the arc. However, two three-pointers by the Pioneers brought the score to 47-35 at the end of the half.
Northland Baptist came out strong in the second period diminishing Stitch’s lead to only seven points at the 13 minute mark on a free throw by Justin Sheley (Loves Park, Ill.). The two teams traded baskets for the next six minutes, until a jumper by Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) acted as a spark for the Wolves. The 6-5 guard got hot during the second half of the period, scoring ten points in seven minutes. Stritch reserve players came in during the final minutes of the game, and were able to hold the lead, finishing the game with a 16 point advantage.
Triplett led the Wolves in the victory, posting yet another double double, his eighth of the season. The 6-4 forward recorded 26 points and eleven rebounds, leading both teams in each category. Barron added 13 points to the effort, while Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and D’Amico each contributed ten.
Ben Summers (Fontana, Kan.) led the Pioneers with 18 points in the losing effort. Dan Doran added 16 points and Joel Widmer pulled down a team-high nine rebounds for Northland Baptist.
The win improves the Wolves’ record to 16-7 overall. The Pioneers fall to 10-11.
Stritch travels to Deerfield, Ill. this weekend to take on Trinity International in a double header conference match-up. The game is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Men’s Basketball Falls to Trinity ChristianLoss knocks Wolves from first place in CCACFeb. 4, 2009
Palos Heights, Ill. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team suffered a tough 73-68 loss to the Trinity Christian College Trolls on Wednesday evening. Stritch, who led at the half, couldn’t overcome an early second half run by Trinity Christian eventually sending them to the defeat.
Playing close the entire first half, the Wolves held a 35-34 lead over the Trolls entering the end of the period. Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) led all scorers in the half with 11 points and added five rebounds. Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) added nine points and four rebounds to the lead.
The Trolls got their offensive production in the half from Kurt Gruppen (Zeeland, Mich.) and Will Bruinsma (New Era, Mich.). Gruppen netted 10 points while Bruinsma dropped in nine during the half.
Entering the second half of play with the one point lead the Wolves have been strong second half performers throughout the season. Wednesday night was different, however, as the Wolves struggled in the opening portion of the second half.
In the opening moments of the half, Gruppen put the Trolls up 37-35 when he hit on a three-pointer. The Wolves looked to answer on the next possession, but point guard Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) had the ball taken away with the takeaway eventually leading to a Matt Buren (Macomb, Ill.) basket to put Stritch down by four.
The game would stay close throughout much of the half, but the Wolves couldn’t overcome the early 14-4 run by TCC, but did make things interesting nearing the end of the game. With under a minute left to play and down three points at 69-66, Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) hit on two key free throws to close the game to 69-68.
Despite the efforts, a layup by the Trolls’ Michael Thompson (Macomb, Ill.) and two free throws by Bruinsma would seal the loss as Braddix and D’Amico would misfire on close shots late in the closing seconds.
Despite the loss, Triplett would lead all scorers in the game with 20 points while D’Amico would finish the game with 15 points. Bruinsma would end the night leading the Trolls in scoring with 17 points.
The loss drops the Wolves to 15-7 overall and to 6-2 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Trolls improve to 17-6 overall and 7-1 in the CCAC. The loss to TCC drops Stritch from the top spot in the conference for the first time this season.
Next up, the Wolves will play host to Northland Baptist Bible College on Thursday evening. Tip-off for the non-conference matchup will be at 7 p.m. inside the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium.
Wolves Men’s Basketball Suffers First Conference LossLate comeback falls just shortJan. 30, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. - The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team suffered a tough loss on Saturday evening to Judson University by a score of 84-80. The Wolves, who were down most of the game, put up a valiant effort to try and take the lead towards the end, but it wasn’t meant to be.
The opening period was tough on the Wolves’ offense. Possessing the lead only twice in the half, Stritch found themselves down by as much as eight points at one point to Judson.
Despite entering the half down 49-41, the Wolves managed to get enough offensive production from Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) and Navjot Singh (Mundelein, Ill.) to keep things close. Triplett and Singh both entered the half with 11 points apiece.
The Eagles offensive attack was paced by the play of Landon Skinner (Plano, Tex.), DeWayne Robinson (Memphis, Tenn.), and Ben Rayhorn (Dakota, Ill.). Skinner entered the half with 14 points and six rebounds. Robinson and Rayhorn each added 11 points while Robinson also hauled in six rebounds.
The second half got tougher for the Wolves as the Eagles increased their lead to 16 with seven minutes left to play compiling a 74-58 lead. Though Judson was strong, Stritch continued to try and chip away at the lead.
Pulling to within eight points at 76-68, the Wolves tried to gain the momentum as Triplett hit a tough jump shot while being fouled on the play by LeStan Hoskins (Danville, Ill.). The Wolves’ forward would hit on the ensuing free throw to put the score at 76-71. Skinner came back to try and give the Eagles some breathing room, but missed on his shot. With the rebounding not in place for Judson, Triplett gained the defensive rebound for Stritch. Finding the outlet pass, Triplett gave a nice feed to Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) who streaked into the lane and then pulled up to sink an eight-footer to pull the Wolves to within three.
The Wolves managed to keep the game to within three until they had to foul the Eagles after misfires by the Stritch offense. Free throws by Dovydas Retkus (Lithuania), Nate McNeely (Monmouth, Ill.), and Robinson would eventually seal the loss for Stritch.
In the loss, Stritch got a team-high 23 points from Triplett. The junior was strong all night, especially from the free throw line, going 11 for 11 from the foul line.
Judson was led in scoring by Robinson and Skinner. The duo each tallied double doubles during the evening. Robinson scored a game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds. Skinner added 21 points and 10 rebounds.
The loss for the Wolves is their first loss in the CCAC, dropping their record in conference to 6-1 and their overall mark to 15-6. Judson improves to 5-2 in the conference and 14-10 overall.
Stritch will hit the hardwood again on Wednesday, Feb. 4 as they’ll travel to Palos Heights, Ill. to take on Trinity Christian College at 7:30 p.m.
Fox Announces RetirementMen’s basketball coach leaving bench after 18 seasonsJan. 27, 2009
Milwaukee, Wis. – Cardinal Stritch University head men’s basketball coach Denny Fox announced his retirement, effective at the end of this season, on Tuesday morning. The announcement from Fox means his 18th season at the helm for the Wolves will be his final one.
The owner of a 388-181 career record at Stritch before the start of this season, Fox developed the men’s basketball program into one of the more successful NAIA Division II programs. His teams have amassed many accomplishments under his guidance. Some of those accomplishments have included six National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Basketball Tournament appearances, four of which came consecutively from 2002 to 2005. He has also won seven conference titles between the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and the Lake Michigan Conference (LMC) along with posting 20 or more wins in a season an astounding 12 times.
Many of the players that have played for Fox also received recognition for their development under the coach. Since joining the CCAC in the 1997-98 season 22 members of the Wolves have garnered All-Conference status. Among these players is Jeff Kreiling (three-time All-Conference, Player of the Year 1998-99, 2000-01), Brian O’Neal (four-time All-Conference; Freshman of the Year 2000-01), Lars Gloessner (three-time All-Conference; Freshman of the Year in 2001-02), and current player Trey Triplett (two-time All-Conference; Freshman of the Year in 2006-07). Fox has also coached four NAIA All-District players and eight All-Americans.
Not only has Fox made an impact in the men’s basketball program, but the longtime coach has also played a large role in the growth of the Wolves Athletic Department. The Indiana native spent 16 seasons in a dual role as head coach and Director of Athletics before solely moving to coach basketball this past offseason.
During his tenure as Director of Athletics, the athletic department saw itself transition from the LMC into the CCAC in 1997 along with the addition of five varsity sports in men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s volleyball.
Fox, who serves as the Commissioner for the CCAC, was named Athletic Director of the Year in 2002 for his accomplishments at Stritch and in the conference. He was also voted into the CCAC Hall of Fame in 2005.
“Denny Fox has made an unbelievable impact on Cardinal Stritch University and its athletics,” Director of Athletics Pat Clemens said. “He worked continuously to develop honorable young men both on and off the court and we deeply appreciate everything that he has done. All of us in the Wolves family wish him well in his retirement and thank him for his years of service.”
Fox began his coaching career as the head coach of Otero Junior College located in La Junta, Colo. From 1978 to 1981, he tallied a 41-38 record. From there he went to the University of Alaska-Anchorage for three seasons under head coach Harry Larrabee. Fox then went on to be the head coach of Missouri Valley College in 1984 where he coached the Vikings to a 123-93 record and was also the coach of Todd Palin, the husband of 2008 Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin.
Fox entered this season with a 552-312 record as a head coach in 25 total seasons. The Wolves are currently 14-5 overall this season and 6-0 in the CCAC. School officials have said the search for his successor will begin immediately.
Second Half Surge Propels Wolves to Victory51 points in the second half highlights winJan. 24, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – After a rough first half, the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball program went on an offensive tear to take down the Purdue University Calumet Peregrines 79-55 on Saturday afternoon.
The opening five minutes of play saw both teams struggle. Missed shot after missed shot, neither team could find any offensive rhythm, combining for just nine points. The Wolves hit on just 20 percent of their shots during the time frame, but found themselves down only by a point at 5-4.
Purdue Calumet found some breathing room going up 9-4, but Stritch got right back into the game with a layup by Militun Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) off of a nice half court pass by Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.). Mirjacic came back on the defensive side with a rebound off a missed shot from PUC’s Vince Johnson (Gary, Ind.) and firing the ball down court to a streaking Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) who scored on a layup of his own to put the score at 9-8.
Down 14-10, Wolves’ newcomer Nate Lemmens (Rhinelander, Wis.) took a baseline pass from Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) to the outside of the three-point arc then found a wide open Dustin Dean (Morristown, Ind.) in the paint for an easy layup to bring Stritch to within two at 14-12.
As things looked to be swing in favor of the Wolves, the Peregrines found their offense and went on a 7-2 scoring run, putting Stritch down 21-14. Stritch didn’t back down as they kept chipping away at the lead.
With two minutes left to play the Wolves, down two points at 27-25, Brandon D’Amico drilled a three-pointer to take a 28-27 lead, their first lead in nearly ten minutes of play. The end of the half would end in favor of Purdue Calumet as Robert Williams (Gary, Ind.) and Antonio McNeal (Hammond, Ind.) hit a pair of shots to put the Wolves down 31-28 at the half.
The struggles of the first half for the Wolves stemmed from poor three-point shooting. Known as team that has some of the best sharp shooters from beyond the arc, Stritch struggled to the tune of one for 11 in the half.
The second half was a much different story for the Stritch. The Wolves came out of the locker room with a fire in their eyes on the offensive side going on a 23-4 run to take a commanding 51-36 lead over the Peregrines and never looking back.
In the opening minutes of the half, Triplett hit a free throw after being fouled by the Peregrines’ Kevin Thomas (Highland, Ind.) to bring the Wolves back to within two points. The momentum shifted as a Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) jump shot would tie the game and a 15-footer by Lemmens would give the Wolves a 33-31 edge they would never let go of.
The Wolves, who struggled from three-point land during the first half, hit on 50 percent of their shots in the second half adding to their second half shooting percentage of 60 percent from the field. The successful second half shooting was a statement for Stritch as they hammered home 51 points in the period and holding the Peregrines to 24 points.
While Triplett led all scorers with 19 points on the night, Braddix made a statement in the second half by scoring 11 of his 15 points in the period for Stritch. Purdue Calumet was led by McNeal as the junior guard netted 17 points in the loss.
Saturday night’s win improves the Wolves’ record to 14-5 overall and 6-0 in conference. The Peregrines drop to 3-17 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
Next up, Stritch will head to Dunbar, Wis. to face Northland Baptist on Monday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Wolves Continue Winning WaysStritch brings home victory over Purdue North Central Jan. 21, 2009
Michigan City, Ind. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball program continued their winning ways by defeating the Purdue University North Central Panthers 82-74 on Wednesday evening.
The Wolves started the game down 2-0 on a jumper by the Panthers’ Marcus Isaac (Indianapolis, Ind.). However, the lead would be the only one that Purdue North Central would enjoy all game as Stritch took the game over from there.
Using a 9-0 run, the Wolves took a 9-2 lead in the score. The Panthers would hold the lead to single digits up until just under seven minutes remaining in the half. From there, Stritch’s Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) stole the first half.
With the Wolves up 24-15, the sophomore guard went on a hot streak. Already having scored six points, D’Amico added 10 more to that total in the final seven minutes, giving him 16 points and propelling Stritch to a 38-24 halftime lead.
In the second half of play, the Panthers tried to rally against the Wolves, but the deficit was just too much to overcome. The Wolves offense maintained its consistency and built a lead as high as 25 points during the half.
Despite being outscored 50-44 in the second half, Stritch’s lead never shrank to less than 13 points the entire half until the final minute of play. Combining for six points in the final minute, the Panthers’ Derek Harrell (French Lick, Ind.) and JF Ndomb (Berrien Springs, Mich.) took an 82-67 Wolves’ lead and cut it to 82-71. Though Isaac would hit a three-pointer with eight second left for PUNC, Stritch would come away with the win.
In the victory, the Wolves had solid efforts throughout the lineup. Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) would lead all players with 23 points and 14 rebounds which were good for his seventh double double of the season. After a hot first half of play D’Amico would finish the game with 20 points.
Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.) also added some scoring to the lineup, posting 14 points on the night. Sophomore Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) had a strong night as well, registering a non-traditional double double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Purdue North Central was led in scoring by Isaac and Daniel Green (Chicago, Ill.) with both players scoring 16 points a piece. Ndomb would finish the game with 14 points and lead the Panthers in rebounding with six rebounds.
The win on Wednesday night improves the Wolves overall record to 13-5 and also increases their conference mark to 5-0. The loss drops the Panthers to 2-19 overall and 0-5 in the conference.
Next up, Stritch will play host to Purdue-Calumet on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tip-off is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium.
Braddix and Triplett Keep Wolves Unbeaten in CCACDuo’s strong second half sets tone for victory
Jan. 17, 2008
Hammond, Ind. – Juniors Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) led the Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team to a 62-51 victory Saturday afternoon against Calumet College of St. Joseph.
The first half played relatively even as the Crimson Wave rendered the Wolves’ offensive weapons fairly quiet. Some of Stritch’s playmakers like Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.), Triplett and Braddix struggled early on with the three players hitting on just five of 16 of their shots. Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) provided the offense by scoring eight in the first half as Stritch entered the break with a slim 27-25 lead.
The second half was a change of pace as the Wolves came alive. After shooting 36 percent from the floor in the first half, the Stritch offense knocked down 63.6 precent of their shots in the second half.
The duo of Braddix and Triplett also had much better second halves of play. After shooting four of nine in the first half, the two players combined to go 10 of 14 from of the field.
Braddix, a transfer from Central Lakes Community College, was especially strong as he scored 12 of his game-high 16 points in the second half alone. Triplett was right behind him as the junior forward sank 10 of his 14 points in the period.
One of the things that have plagued the Wolves all year has been gaining the lead and maintaining it late in the game. Up 10 points with five minutes remaining, the Stritch defense tightened up, never allowing the lead to shrink to less than eight points the remainder of the game.
Despite the loss, the Crimson Wave had three players score in double figures. Fares Saqf Alhait (Amman, Jordan) paced the way for CCSJ with 15 points while Wilfredo Escobar (Chicago, Ill.) and Jon Contos (Munster, Ind.) each added 11.
The win propels the Wolves to a 12-5 record, also keeping them in first place in the CCAC with a 4-0 record. The loss drops the Crimson Wave drops to 4-16 overall and 2-1 in the conference.
Stritch will play next on Wednesday, Jan. 21 as they’ll take on Purdue University – North Central in Michigan City, Ind. At 7 p.m.
Triplett LeadS Wolves over TrojansJunior records sixth double double on the seasonJan. 14, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team defeated the Trinity International University Trojans on Wednesday evening by a score of 82-73.
After a slow start to the first half, the Wolves struck first on a three-point play by Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.). The junior forward scored on a layup and was quickly fouled, hitting the bonus free throw to take the 3-0 lead.
From there, the first half action was even. The Wolves were strong in their shooting from the field, hitting on 44 percent of their shots, but couldn’t keep it together defensively against the Trojans three-point shooter Ignas Verbus (Vilnius, Lithuania). The 6-foot-9 sophomore was tough from the three-point arc, hitting on four of six attempts and helping TIU in shooting 50 percent from three-point land.
The Wolves got solid offense in the first half out of Triplett, who had 15 points, and Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.), who netted 11. The offensive work had Stritch leading 41-37 at the break. Verbus led the Trojans into half with 14 points and seven rebounds.
The second half started out rough for Stritch as the momentum swung in favor of TIU. Using a 12-7 run in the first five minutes of the half, the Trojans had a dunk by Verbus over Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) and a three-pointer by Danny Kirst (Galena, Ill.) to take a 49-48 lead.
After a Stritch timeout, the offense shook off the TIU run by reclaiming the lead. Baskets by Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and four points by Triplett gave the Wolves a 54-49 lead.
The Wolves would eventually pull away from a 64-64 tied when Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) hit two free throws, giving Stritch the lead for good. D’Amico would finish with 20 points as a strong follow-up to his 27-point performance against Trinity Christian on Saturday afternoon.
Triplett had another strong night for Stritch, registering his sixth double double of the season (25 pts., 14 rebounds), combining with D’Amico for 40 points. Dobbe, who had 11 points in the first half, finished the game with 15.
In the loss, the Trojans were led by Verbus and his 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tyrone Smith (Detroit, Mich.) added 18 for TIU.
With the win, Stritch moves to 11-5 overall and improves to 3-0 in the CCAC. Trinity International falls to 2-19 on the season and 0-2 in the conference. The Wolves will hit the road this weekend to take on Calumet St. Joseph in Whiting, Ind. The game will be played on Saturday, Jan. 17 with tip-off slated for 3 p.m.
Wolves Take Victory in Overtime ThrillerD’Amico leads Stritch to conference win
Jan. 10, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team played in another overtime thriller at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium Saturday afternoon. This time, the results were much better as the Wolves defeated the Trinity Christian College Trolls by a score of 82-72 in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) matchup.
In the first half, Stritch stuggled early on; hitting on just one of their first six shots. Meanwhile, Trinity Christian built a quick 11-3 lead on the strength of eight points by their leading scorer, Kurt Gruppen (Zeeland, Mich.).
The Wolves fought back to within one at 11-10 with baskets by Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.) and Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) and kept trading baskets with the Trolls until six minutes left in the half.
Tied at 21-21, D’Amico hit on a jumper to give Stritch a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished the rest of the half.
Junior Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) closed out the half for Stritch with two free throws to put the Wolves up 30-27 at the end of the period. Triplett had a strong first half by netting 11 points and nine rebounds while D’Amico also finished the half with 11 points.
In the second half, the momentum swung in favor of the Trolls. Trinity Christian took a 32-29 halftime deficit and turned it into an eventual 45-40 lead over Stritch. The Wolves would claw their way back to even and then trade baskets with TCC until the closing 48 seconds of the second half.
Still playing strong, D’Amico hit a key jumper to put the Wolves up 67-65 in the closing minute. With just under 30 seconds left, Triplett was called for a foul on the Trolls’ Will Bruinsma (New Era, Mich.). Sent to the line to shoot two free throws, Bruinsma hit both shots, tying the game at 67-67. It was the 11th time the game had been tied as the shots would send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) put Stritch up first with a jumper 24 seconds into the period. Triplett, who had a double double with 22 points and 11 rebounds, hit the next shot to put the Wolves up 71-67. The double double was the junior’s fifth of the season.
From there, D’Amico stole the show. The sophomore guard, fouled under the hoop, would hit two free throws to put the Wolves up 73-67. He would end up tallying four of his seven rebounds and five of his career-high 27 points in the overtime session.
The Wolves also got a strong effort from Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) who netted 13 points. Trinity Christian was led in scoring by Gruppen and Bruinsma who both scored 19 points in the loss.
For Stritch, the overtime win pushes their record to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the CCAC. With the loss, TCC falls to 10-6 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Next up, the Wolves will play at home on Wednesday, Jan. 14 against Trinity International University. Tip-off is set to happen at 7:30 p.m. at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium.
Wolves Open Conference Play With WinBalanced attack paces way to win
Jan. 7, 2009
Elgin, Ill. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball team opened up the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) season on a high note with an 82-72 victory on the road against the Judson University Eagles at the Lindner Fitness Center Wednesday Evening.
The first half stayed relatively close as the Wolves stayed up on the Eagles by eight points in the first seven minutes of play with the score at 15-7. A made layup and free throw shot by JU’s Ryan Shelton (Loves Park, Ill.) along with a fast break basket by DeWayne Robinson (Memphis, Tenn.) closed the Stritch lead to five points at 15-10.
The Stritch offense came roaring back to life to go on a 13-3 run on the strength of team offense. Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.), Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.), Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.), and Milutin Mirijacic (Uzice, Serbia) powered the way for the Wolves during the offensive surge putting Stritch up 28-13.
Stritch held on to a double digit lead for the remainder of the half, until two free throws by the Eagles’ Ben Rayhorn (Dakota, Ill.) cut the lead to nine points, ending the half at 38-29 in favor of the Wolves.
After holding the Eagles to 29 points in the first half of play, The Wolves struggled to hold them down in the first ten minutes of the second half. Judson methodically executed their offense to slowly close the gap before eventually taking a 48-47 lead when Rayhorn scored on a lay-up. D’Amico came back on the next possession to take the lead back for Stritch by knocking home a three-pointer, giving the Wolves a 50-48 lead.
Judson’s Landon Skinner (Plano, Tex.), who had a game-high 23 points, would tie the game twice by hitting on a jumper and then a lay-up after Stritch’s Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) had reclaimed the lead for the Wolves. Tied at 52-52, Braddix hit two free throws for the Wolves to give them a little distance that would be maintained for a good portion of the remaining contest.
Things started to get a little tense in the closing minute of the game. Up 78-72, the Wolves’ Nate Lemmens (Milwaukee, Wis.) fouled Rayhorn, who would hit both free throws to bring the score to 78-74. Despite Judson’s best efforts, Stritch would hang on to come away with the victory.
The Wolves were led in scoring by Triplett, who scored a team-high 19 points by going six for six from the field and seven of nine from the foul line. D’Amico also chipped in with 16 points and six rebounds in the victory.
The Eagles were led by Skinner, Robinson, and Dovydas Retkus (Lithuania). Robinson had 12 points while Retkus tallied a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
With the victory, the Wolves improve to 9-5 overall and 1-0 in the CCAC. The loss drops Judson to 9-9 overall and 0-1 in the conference. Up next, Stritch comes back home for a conference showdown on Saturday afternoon against Trinity Christian College at 3 p.m.
Tigers Outlast WolvesStritch plays strong second half to force overtime, but can’t hold on
Dec. 30, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – Despite a strong start and outstanding second half push, the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team could not hold on to beat the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers in an exciting overtime matchup. After a hard fought battle by both teams, the Tigers defeated the Wolves 101-99 in the final seconds of the game.
Stritch looked impressive during the opening minutes of play, led by Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill) who scored 11 points with the help of 3 three-pointers in the first five minutes. But the lead did not last, as the Tigers went on a 23-4 run with just under fifteen minutes left in the half. Chase Walder (Castlewood, S.D.) made two of his five three-pointers during this period, propelling the Tigers to a 37-26 advantage. Dakota Wesleyan continued to outplay the Wolves and took a 48-42 lead into halftime.
At the beginning of the second half, it seemed as though the Tigers may break away as they increased their lead to eleven just minutes into play. With fourteen and a half minutes to play, Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) found a spark for Stritch with two free throws. The Wolves then fought hard and took the lead on a jumper by Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), who scored a team-high 22 points, and scored his fourth double double of the season.
The lead changed hands six times during the second half with some of the game’s most pivotal action coming in the closing seconds. With Stritch down 83-81, the Wolves tied the game on a last second shot by Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) who had sliced into the paint undefended to take a precision-like pass from Barron just above the free throw line.
Both teams sent out powerful line ups during the overtime period, but the Tigers just barely outlasted the Wolves. Colby Fitzgerald (Dell Rapids, S.D.) scored 8 of his game-high 27 points in the last five minutes, carrying his team to the win, despite strong last minute efforts by D’Amico and Triplett.
The back and forth, extremely emotional game was decided by turnovers and fouls. The Tigers scored 15 points off of Stritch ball-handling errors, and outscored the Wolves 23 to 13 at the foul line.
The loss brings Stritch to an 8-5 record; Dakota Wesleyan improves to 11-3. The Wolves have a short break before they open up CCAC play against Judson University, in Elgin, Ill. on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m.
Wolves Struggle against WarhawksMcKay too much for Stritch defense
Dec. 18, 2008
Whitewater, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball program were defeated on the road on Thursday night, 90-68, against NCAA Div. III opponent University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Throughout the first half, the teams went basket-for-basket with each other until five minutes in the game. A quarter of the way into the half, the Wolves offense stalled out for a bit, going almost three and a half minutes without a point as the No.3-ranked Warhawks broke an 11-11 tie by taking an eventual 16-11 lead. Stritch’s Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) hit a jumper to bring the Stritch offense back to within 16-13, but six missed shots in the span of two minutes allowed UWW to go ahead 22-13.
Plagued by missed shots, the Wolves shot 34 percent from the field in the first half and found themselves down 39-29 to the Warhawks. At the end of the half, Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) led Stritch in scoring with 10 points while UWW’S Miles McKay (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) led all scorers with 16 points.
Opening the second period of play, Stritch came out with four quick points, but could never quite get on-track as the lowest they could cut the deficit was to within seven points in the half. Foul trouble (21 personals) and poor shooting (39%) eventually doomed the Wolves to the loss.
The Wolves struggles weren’t made any easier on the night as Whitewater’s McKay had a big night by scoring a game-high 31 points. Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.) ended up with a big second half to lead all Stritch scorers with 18 points while Triplett added 13 before fouling out of the contest.
With the loss, Stritch falls to 8-4 while Whitewater improves to 9-1 overall. Next up, the Wolves are slated to head to Owensboro, Ky. for a matchup against the No. 13-ranked team in NCAA Division II in form of the Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers on Friday, Dec. 19. Tip-off is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Wolves Pour on Offense against OSU-MarionSix players score in double figuresDec. 6, 2008
Upland, Ind. – The Cardinal Stritch University men’s basketball program tallied a convincing victory over Ohio State University at Marion with a final score of 110-56 in the Taylor University Tournament.
As a team, the Wolves dominated from the tip-off as they saw a lead as large as 43 points by the close of the first half. All totaled Stritch shot 57 percent from the floor, out-rebounded the Scarlet Wave 52-32, generated 22 points off of turnovers, and netted 33 points by way of the three-point shot.
Offensively, Stritch had the offensive wealth spread around all day with six players scoring in double figures. Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.) paced the way with a team-high 23 points, specifically going 4-6 in three-point attempts while Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) added 15 points and seven assists.
Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) chipped in on the effort with 14 points by not missing a single shot all afternoon. Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) recorded his first double-double of the season by scoring 12 points and hauling in 14 rebounds, ten coming on the defensive side. Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) and Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) each added 11 and 10 points to the victory as well.
For the Scarlet Wave, the only offense they could generate was created by Tony Worrell (Cleveland, Ohio). Worrell scored a game-high 25 points for OSU-Marion.
With the win, Stritch improves its record to 8-3 and drops OSU-Marion to 2-10. The Wolves will take all of next week off and then head to Whitewater, Wis. to take on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks on Thursday, Dec. 18. Tip-off in Whitewater is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Stritch Defense Leads To Victory IIT can’t overcome scoring deficit
Nov. 25, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. - The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves knocked off the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks in a non-conference basketball match up on Tuesday evening by a score of 83-71. The Wolves used a steady offense and a strong defense throughout the evening take the victory over a struggling Scarlet Hawks team that is now losers of three straight games.
The Stritch defense paved the way by generating 23 turnovers by IIT and holding the Scarlett Hawks to shooting 15 percent from the three-point line. The Wolves defense bent only twice on the evening to allow the Scarlet Hawks to close the scoring gap to under double digits twice on the night.
The only real damage IIT could get on the scoreboard came from Kyle Corbin (Tipp City, Ohio). Corbin led IIT in scoring with 20 points and pushed his season total of 106 three-point attempts up to 111 attempt, but could only come through on one of those attempts Tuesday evening.
While the Stritch defense held stout throughout the evening, the offense didn’t need to be flashy as consistency would win this ball game. Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) paced the way for all scorers on the evening with his 26 points. The Wolves also got double-digit scoring out of Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.), Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), and Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.). Braddix went for 13 points, Triplett had 12 point, and Dobbe tallied 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The Wolves now improve to 6-2 on the year and drop the Scarlet Hawks to 3-6 overall. Stritch won’t play again now until Dec. 3 when they’ll head to Gary, Ind. to take on Indiana-Northwest.
Wolves Defeat Vikings in Pepsi ClassicBarron gets offense out of funk
Nov. 22, 2008
La Crosse, Wis. – After a disappointing loss on Friday evening in the first round of the Pepsi Classic, the Wolves regained some offensive swagger during an 89-79 victory over the Valley City State University Vikings on Saturday afternoon.
One day ago, the Wolves struggled offensively by shooting just 35 percent from the floor. The opening moments of Saturday’s game looked as if the struggles would continue as the Wolves fell into an early 16-8 hole. However, junior forward Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) sparked the offense with a three-point play in which he scored on a lay up and was fouled on the play. The resulting made basket and free throw by Triplett were the beginning of a 14-2 run by the Stritch offense that eventually took the lead and never relinquished it.
While Triplett sparked the change in score, finishing with 17 points and 10 rebounds, it was Stritch’s Pat Barron (Mundelein, Ill.) that stole the show. Barron tallied 13 of his game-high 29 points in the first half of play by hitting on all three of his three-point attempts. The sophomore guard would eventually finish five of seven beyond the arc while also adding 10 points off of 11 free throw attempts.
The Wolves offense collectively had a good night by shooting 43 percent from the floor while the defense held the Vikings to 35 percent in shooting. For the Vikings, their only ability to generate points came off the hands of Orlando Anderson (Green Bay, Wis.). Anderson went for a team-high 21 points for VCSU despite the loss.
With the win, the Wolves improve to 5-2 on the season while dropping the Vikings to 5-4. Next up, Stritch will return home on Tuesday, November 25, to play host to Illinois Tech where tip-off will take place at the Allen-Bradley Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
Wolves Fall To V-Hawks in Pepsi ClassicStritch offense struggles to get on track
Nov. 21, 2008
La Crosse, Wis. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball team struggled on Friday evening during first round action of the Pepsi Classic to the tune of an 80-58 loss at the hands of the host Viterbo University V-Hawks.
The Wolves took an early 4-2 lead in the contest, but the V-Hawks used a 9-0 run to take the lead with 13:05 remaining in the first half. It was a lead that Viterbo would never relinquish through the rest of the contest. At one point, the V-Hawks had stretched their first half lead to 14 points.
Stritch would eventually cut the deficit to 34-24 with 4:16 left in the first half, but that would be as close as they would get as the V-Hawks closed the first half on a 15-3 run to lead 49-27 at the break. Viterbo Junior Eric Ambrose (Twin Lakes, Wis.) capped the run with a 65 foot three-pointer at the buzzer, his third of the half.
The second half was much the same way as the first half finished as Stritch was never able to cut the lead to smaller than 15 points. Offensively, nothing was going right as only one member of the Wolves, Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.), managed to score double digits with 11 points on the night. Collectively, Stritch shot 35 percent from the floor and just 14 percent from beyond the three-point line.
With the loss, the Wolves fall to 4-2 overall and will face Valley City State University in the consolation round of the Pepsi Classic on Saturday. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Wolves Hold Off Saints Defense holds tight during rough second half
Nov. 18, 2008
Milwaukee, Wis. – It was a tale of two halves on Tuesday evening, but as the buzzer sounded, the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves held on after a shaky second half of basketball to defeat the Ashford University Saints by a score of 99-90.
Stritch struck quickly in the opening minutes as they looked as if they were going to run away with an easy victory after opening the game on a 10-2 run by way of the three-pointer shots supplied by Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.). At one point, the Wolves led by as much as 25 points in the first half and would close out the half with a 52-30 lead.
The second half came and the teams opened up by exchanging baskets on the first four possessions of the game and the Saints would eventually cut the 22-point deficit down to 15. The Wolves would strike back to open back up a large 24-point lead in the second half, but would see it shrink to as low as a six point lead in the closing minutes of the game. Four made free throws by Stritch and two errant three point shots by Ashford’s Jonathan Wyatt (Chicago, Ill.) would eventually seal the nine point victory for Stritch.
Saints guard Byron Emerson (Rockford, Ill.) was a key player in the Saints outscoring the Wolves in the second half of play. The Ashford junior scored 22 of his game-high 26 points in the second half alone and shot 70 percent from the field during the game.
Despite the efforts of Emerson, the Wolves’ defense managed to clamp down and come away with the victory. D’Amico would end up being the Stritch’s high scorer with 20 points on the evening. Three other Wolves would also register in double-digits as Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.) continued his hot shooting with 19 points, Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) added 16 as did Braddix.
With the win, Stritch improves to 4-1 overall and drops Ashford to 3-3 on the season. Next up, the Wolves will head off to play in La Crosse in the Viterbo University Tournament. Stritch will open up tournament play against Viterbo at 7:30 p.m.
Stritch Defeats Huntington to Take Tournament ChampionshipTripletts sends men to victoryNov. 15, 2008
Huntington, Ind. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball program improved to 3-1 and added a tournament championship to their hands with an 83-80 defeat over tournament host Huntington University. The loss dropped the Foresters to 3-3 overall.
For Huntington, the Foresters came out firing throughout the night and had four players reach double digits in scoring. Kevin Kyle (Crawfordsville, Ind.) paced the way for Huntington by scoring 23 points. Kellen Zawadski (Tipp City, Ohio) also added to the cause with 22 points.
Though Huntington could score quickly, the Wolves had answers of their own having four of their own score in double figures as well. None could outshine the offensive efforts of junior Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.). Triplett had a game-high 27 points and a team-high 9 rebounds in the contest. Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) also contributed with 19 points, while Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and Ian Dobbe (Shawano, Wis.) added 12 and 11 points respectively.
With the win, the Wolves will return home to take on Ashford University on Tuesday, November 18. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. on the campus of Cardinal Stritch University.
Wolves Men’s Basketball Wins First Round Game of Huntington University TournamentStritch knocks off Concordia-Michigan
Nov. 14, 2008
Huntington, Ind. – The Cardinal Stritch University Wolves men’s basketball program pushed themselves above the .500 mark on Friday evening with a 73-67 win over the Concordia University-Michigan Cardinals in the first round of the Huntington University Tournament.
Friday night’s victory wasn’t an easy one as the Cardinals entered the game at 2-1 and came in riding the highs of a 92-64 blow out victory over Holy Cross College. The offensive efforts of the Cardinals certainly were not lacking against the Wolves. Marquis Turley (Grand Rapids, Mich.) led the continued offensive charge for Concordia by netting a game high 28 points.
Despite the strong effort by the Cardinals, the Wolves would not be outdone and used a balanced attack to lead them to victory. Sophomore guard Brandon D’Amico (Geneva, Ill.) paced the way for Stritch with a team-high 17 points in the game. Adding to D’Amico’s scoring was junior Trey Triplett (Lisle, Ill.). The third-year forward added 16 points and nine rebounds to aid the winning efforts. The Wolves also received scoring output from Kody Braddix (Glendale, Ariz.) and Milutin Mirjacic (Uzice, Serbia) as Braddix netted 15 on the night while Mirjacic added 14.
With the victory, the Wolves improve to 2-1 on the season and drop Concordia to 2-2. Stritch will now advance to the championship game of the tournament and will face the winner of Friday’s second game between Huntington and Huyker. The championship game will be held on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. between the Wolves and the winner of that contest.