MILWAUKEE – The University of Northwestern men's basketball team opened their 2021-22 season on Friday night at Wisconsin Lutheran College. The Eagles and Warriors gave it their all for the full 40 minutes, but WLC took the season opener 81-73.
 
Even though they trailed on the scoreboard, the Eagles shot better than the Warriors in the game. UNW went 27-of-56 from the field for 48.2 percent while WLC was 24-of-59 for 40.7 percent. Northwestern also led from three-point range, going 7-of-17 for 41.2 percent while Wisconsin Lutheran was 6-of-19 for 31.6 percent.
 
The Eagle offense was consistent from half to half, shooting 48.2 percent in the first and 48.3 percent in the second. Northwestern's defense also improved from the first to the second, taking a WLC team that shot 47.1 percent in the first and holding them to 32.0 percent on 8-for-25 shooting in the second.
 
Though UNW outshot WLC from the field, the key points in the game were made at the free-throw line. 42 personal fouls were called in the 40 minute contest, with the Eagles getting called for 24 to the Warriors' 18. Wisconsin Lutheran shot 79.4 percent for 27 points from the line. Northwestern trailed just slightly in efficiency at the line with 75.0 percent shooting, but the comparative lack of volume held them to just 12 points off of fouls.

Turnovers and points scored off of them were also costly for UNW. The Eagles had the ball taken away 17 times in the contest, seven more than the Warriors gave up. Wisconsin Lutheran capitalized on those turnovers as well, scoring 20 points off them; 11 more than Northwestern had off of theirs.
 
The Warriors also had more second-chances on offense, grabbing 13 offensive boards to the Eagles' seven. Both UNW and WLC were efficient with their second chance points, but the volume for Wisconsin Lutheran provided them 14 second chance points to Northwestern's eight.
 
Fast break points also went the way of WLC, as the Warriors had 11 to the Eagles' three.
 
Kyle Kaemingk (Woodbury, Minn./New Life Academy) led Northwestern with 13 points in the contest, going 4-for-11 from the field. Henry Fahnbulleh (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) nearly had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing nine boards with a team-high three assists. Caleb Waldeck (Newhall, Calif./Hart High) and Noah Alm (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) each had 12 points as well for the Eagles.
 
Up next for Northwestern is a quick turnaround as they have another road game at another Wisconsin school in less than 24 hours. The Eagles will take on the MSOE Raiders on Saturday, November 6, at 3:00 p.m. in Milwaukee. After this two-game road trip, UNW will return to Minnesota for their home opener on Wednesday, November 10, at 7:30 p.m. against Hamline in the Ericksen Center.