PORTLAND, ORE. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Basketball team took on Warner Pacific University in their first game of the Lewis & Clark Thanksgiving Classic. The Lutes came away with a 71-68 victory over the Knights.
 
The two teams traded shots at the beginning of the game, with three consecutives ties up to 6-6 through the first four minutes of the game. Senior Brandin Riedel took control through the seven minutes, scoring six of the Lutes first 14 points of the game, giving the Lutes a 14-8 advantage early.
 
The Knights took their first lead of the game on a three with 10:15 remaining in the first half. But the Lutes battled to keep up with the Knights behind consecutive hook shots from junior Jack Williams but the Knights got out to a 25-20 lead. Riedel continued to lead the Lutes throughout the first half, going on a 7-2 run to tie the game back up at 27-27. Both teams would continue to trade buckets for the remainder of the half, thanks to senior Sam Noland pairing a three with a floater, the Lutes would lead 38-37 at the half.
 
The Knights came out of the half with a 6-0 run to earn a 43-38 advantage over the Lutes. Noland got back into stride on offense, following a jumper with a deep three to tie the game back up. Following a three-minute scoring drought, Jason Montes would keep the Knights form pulling away with a pair of layups. Sophomore Miles Nash hit a big three with nine minutes to play and put the Lutes on top, 54-51.
 
Both defenses began to step up as well as the shooting went cold, the Knights would climb back and tie the game yet again at 59-59 with under five minutes to play. Nash cashed in a floater to tie the game at 62-62 before Riedel made consecutive free throws to give the Lutes another lead. The pivotal score in the game came with 56 seconds remaining as sophomore Mack Hepper extended the Lutes lead with a clutch three from beyond the arc.
 
Warner Pacific struggled to answer the call, but made a clutch three pointer with five seconds remaining to get within two points of the Lutes. As Riedel made one free throw with one second left, the Lutes held a three-point lead and would go on to win following a missed buzzer beater from the Knights.
 
In a game that featured 14 ties, the Lutes took advantage beyond the arc, shooting 31.6% compared to the Knights 17.4%. The two teams were nearly equal in all rebounding categories and turnovers. But the Lutes scored 10 points off of the 11 Knights turnovers.
 
Noland lead the Lutes with 19 points on 50% shooting and two threes. Riedel had 17 points on 60% shooting while adding five rebounds on one assist. Nash lead the team with eight rebounds and five assists. Montes also scored double-digits with 10 points on 60% shooting.
 
The Lutes will complete play at the Lewis & Clark Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow at 3 p.m. in Portland, Ore. against Cal State Santa Cruz.
 
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