Putting in a walloping 32 points, Malik Wildermuth’s career-high total helped put the Central men’s basketball team over the top of Luther on Saturday, 95 – 86, in a doubleheader heard live on 92.1 KRLS.
The Dutch led by as much as 25 midway through the second half, but Central got cold from the field, and Luther took advantage of their opportunities. Coach Craig Douma credited the Norse for battling back, and says his team has plenty to work on to get ready for the final week of the regular season.
Kyle Smith scored 20, Jamel McKnight dumped in 17, and freshman Caden Mauck (Mock) put up 13 points of his own to back-up Wildermuth. Central is now 7 – 7 in league play and 10 – 13 overall.
The Central women played Luther tough, having as much as an 8-point lead a few minutes into the third quarter, but the Norse created distance the rest of the way in a 77 – 68 victory over the Dutch. Central had a two-point halftime lead, but were outscored 22 – 10 in the third quarter and trailed by as much as 18 in the fourth period. Claire Marburger, playing inside of P.H. Kuyper for the first time in almost a year, scored a game-high 21 points for Luther. The Dutch were led by Jessica Helton’s 17 points, Tina Lane’s double-double effort of 15 points and ten rebounds, and Kristin Hubert scoring 14 off the bench.
Central’s women fall to 7 – 16 overall. It’s a big week for the men coming up; the Dutch will go to Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday before hosting Wartburg in the regular-season finale on Saturday. Central’s men need a win in one of the two games to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament that starts a week from Tuesday.

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