Dec. 27, 2007

Lutes Lose Cactus Jam Opener to Wartburg, 70-62

Josh Dressler - 25 points

Box Score

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Pacific Lutheran saw a nine-point halftime lead slip away in a 70-62 men's basketball loss to Wartburg in Thursday's opening game of the Cactus Jam tournament at Phoenix College.

With Josh Dressler scoring 20 of his 25 points in the first half, Pacific Lutheran raced to a 38-29 halftime lead. In the second half, Wartburg out-scored the Lutes, 41-24, as PLU made just 9-of-30 attempts from the field in the closing period. In addition, Wartburg out-rebounded the Lutes, 26-13, in the second half on the way to a 44-32 advantage for the game.

"It was a tale of two halves," said PLU head coach Steve Dickerson. "We played well defensively in the first half. In the second half they basically pounded the ball inside on us. We didn't do a good job defensively and we didn't score."

Dressler, the junior wing who has averaged almost 22 points per game in the early season, made 7-of-15 shots, including 5-of-12 from three-point range, to go along with a 6-of-7 performance at the foul line. Senior post Scott McDaniels added 12 points for the Lutes, and his nine rebounds led both teams.

PLU shot just 22-of-62 from the field, or 36 percent, compared to 25-of-52, or 48 percent, for the Knights.

The Lutes, 3-3 this season, will play Ramapo (N.J.), a 104-95 first-round loser to Clark (Mass.), at 10 a.m. (MST) Friday. Wartburg, 3-6 for the season, advances into the winner's bracket and will play Clark at 2 p.m. (MST) Friday. The eight-team, three-day tournament concludes with a full slate of four contests on Saturday.

- PLU -