Luther rides hot shooting to rout of North Central

The Luther men’s basketball team used a trip north to heat up their offense and end a two-game skid. After tallying only 51 points in each of their last two games, the Norse’s offensive erupted en route to a 70-50 rout at North Central College (Minn.) last Saturday.

In what Coach Mark Franzen called a “strong, balanced effort,” the Norse saw nine players record double-digit minutes and got offensive production from 11. Coming off an injury last week at Buena Vista University (Iowa), Tim Merritt (‘12) led all scorers with 16, followed by Dane Larsen (‘12) and Tyler Wedemeier (‘13) who each chipped in nine.

The Norse opened the game with a 10-0 run punctuated by a Larsen three-pointer with 17:04 to play in the first half. From there, North Central never came within 10 as Luther opened up a 16 point halftime advantage on 14-28 shooting. The Norse led by as many as 28 in the second half before North Central ended on an 8-0 run.

The win showcased the team’s highly touted depth and versatile offense.

“The great thing about this team is the amount of guys that can score,” Franzen said. “There is no pressure on one or two guys every night to score a certain number of points.”

When Larsen, who entered the game shooting 50 percent from the three point line, went 1-4, Merritt picked the team up by going 4-5 from beyond the arc. Also continuing was the consistent play of Nnamdi Okolue (‘11) who netted six points and grabbed a team high seven rebounds.

The young Norse squad, who start no seniors and three underclassmen, still seem to be adjusting to each other early in the season.

“Our team right now has a mix of returners and newcomers on the floor,” Franzen said. “The newcomers are doing a great job, but there is a learning process that needs to take place before they settle in.”

The team will resume conference play Jan. 6 after competing in the Presentation College Classic in Aberdeen, S.D., Dec. 29-30. The Norse will focus on polishing their game before the heart of the IIAC season begins.

“We need to continue to improve on our toughness on both ends, being strong with the ball on offense and playing with intensity on defense,” Franzen said.

The Norse (2-3) will return to action Dec. 11 at Northwestern College (Minn.) in St. Paul. The Eagles (4-3) may have matchup problems with Luther’s size but have experience and will be playing at home for the sixth time in eight games.