MILWAUKEE (blugolds.com) – A prolific afternoon from
Gunnar Tebon (Sr. – Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) helped the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team get back on track with an 83-63 victory over Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday at the Kern Center. Tebon erupted for a career-best 37 points to help the Blugolds snap a short two-game losing skid.
Tebon's 37 points are the most scored by a Blugold in a single game since Cole Rabedeaux poured in 44 against Mount Aloysius College on Dec. 30, 2018, and stand as the third-best total by a Blugold over the last 10 years.
Tebon bettered his previous career high of 33 points. He was lights-out against the Raiders, making 12 of 17 field goals – good for a 71% clip from the field. He shot 60% from 3-point range. The guard also added five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
UW-Eau Claire (2-3) had to overcome a difficult start. The Raiders (1-3) scored 10 of the first 13 points in the game to build a seven-point lead in the first two-plus minutes. MSOE remained in the lead until the 14:09 mark of the first half, when the Blugolds clawed back to tie the game at 15.
The Blugolds took the lead on a free throw from Tebon with 11:13 to go until halftime, and never trailed again. UW-Eau Claire clamped down defensively in the late stages of the first half to drive a 16-2 run which saw its lead grow as high as 15. The Blugolds made three 3-pointers during that stretch, and eventually carried a 40-26 advantage into halftime.
UW-Eau Claire had to weather a surge from the Raiders early in the second half. MSOE began the period on a 14-6 spurt to cut the deficit down to 46-40 with 16 minutes left, but the Blugolds immediately answered with an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach. They led by double figures the rest of the way.
In addition to Tebon's explosive night, the Blugolds also got plenty of points from
Carter Huschka (Sr. – Farmington, Minn.) and
Michael Casper (Sr. – Merrill, Wis.). Huschka tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Casper chipped in with 11 points.
The Blugolds will be back at home on Tuesday, Nov. 28, against Crown College. Tip-off at Zorn Arena is set for 7 p.m.
