Box Score
St. Norbert 87, Ohio Wesleyan 79

Sophomore post Claude Gray (Avon) hit a 3-pointer and senior wing Dre White (Lima/Bath) converted a 3-point play as Ohio Wesleyan narrowed an 11-point second-half deficit to 3 points, but fifth-ranked St. Norbert withstood the Bishop comeback and went on to record a win in an NCAA Division III first-round matchup on Friday in Bloomington, Ill.

Ohio Wesleyan had taken an early 8-5 lead on a bucket by senior post Reuel Rogers (Columbus/Bexley) and increased its advantage to 15-11 on a free throw by sophomore post Matt Jeske (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South) with 12:50 left in the first half.

St. Norbert responded with an 11-3 run that included a 3-pointer and a 3-point play from Brandon Gries, along with an Andy Fox 3-pointer, to take a 22-18 lead with 7:58 to play in the period.

The Bishops came back to tie the game at 24 on a 3-pointer by senior guard Taylor Rieger (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange), and a Gray 3-pointer later in the half brought Ohio Wesleyan within 32-31 with 3:00 to play.

The Green Knights closed out the first half with an 8-1 run, collecting baskets from Izaiah Anderson, Gries, Andrew Schwoerer, and Steven Hofacker to take a 40-32 lead at the intermission, and a Gries 3-pointer to open the second half gave St. Norbert a 43-32 lead.

Gray's 3-pointer, along with 3 free throws from Rogers, brought the Bishops within 54-50 with 13:37 left in regulation time, and after an Austin Elliott lay-in, White's 3-point play made it a 56-53 game with 12:58 to go.

Schwoerer and Anderson each hit a pair of free throws to help St. Norbert hold off that Bishop rally, an Anderson jumper from the lane moved the Green Knight lead back into double digits, and Kam Cerroni's 3-pointer at the 4:45 mark gave St. Norbert a 75-61 lead.

Rieger and junior wing Nick Felhaber (Holland/Toledo St. John's) each knocked down a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch, but the Bishops would not come closer than the 8-point final margin.

Gray and White scored 23 points apiece, establishing a career-best for White, who also grabbed a team-high 5 rebounds.  Rieger finished with 14 points, and freshman guard Seth Clark (Lewis Center/Olentangy) led the Bishops with 5 assists.

Gries led St. Norbert with 18 points.

Box Score