Sangamon Sun

The Illinois College men's basketball team faced a challenging game against Lawrence, resulting in a 77-75 loss after double overtime at Alexander Gym in Appleton, Wisconsin. This outcome shifted Illinois College to a 6-3 overall record and 1-2 in the Midwest Conference, while Lawrence improved to 4-6 overall and 2-2 in league play.

The Blueboys started strong, leading with a score of 30-21 at halftime. They extended their lead to as much as 19 points twice during the second half, the last time being with just over eleven minutes remaining on the clock. However, Lawrence mounted a comeback, tying the game with only two seconds left on a layup by Casey Schoenecker, pushing the contest into overtime.

During the first overtime period, Lawrence initially took a five-point lead. The Blueboys managed to rally back when Josh Harris hit a jumper with 27 seconds remaining, sending the game into another overtime period.

In the second overtime session, both teams remained closely matched. Illinois College led briefly by two points twice before Lawrence secured victory through a Landon Key jumper and a free throw from Nicholas Gouriotis. The Blueboys had possession for the final play but were unable to score.

Buzz Ritzel was Illinois College's top scorer with 20 points and nine rebounds. Seth Doss contributed 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Javonte McKenzie added 11 points along with eight rebounds, while Harris scored ten points.

Ritzel is nearing a career milestone with 997 points; Harris is also close to joining him in reaching the 1,000 career-point club at Illinois College.

Looking ahead, Illinois College will take a break from conference play as they travel to San Antonio, Texas. They are scheduled to face Trinity University of Texas on Friday at 4:00 p.m.