HOUGHTON, Mich. – UW-Parkside men's basketball dropped its 2017-18 season opener on Saturday night, as the Rangers fell to the host Michigan Tech 82-57 in the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge opener.
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The second half was the difference in this game, as the Huskies outscored the Rangers 45-27 after the Huskies held a 37-30 halftime lead. Parkside struggled in the opening minutes, with Michigan Tech building a 10-0 lead early and holding on to the lead throughout the game. The Rangers brought it within five points late in the first half off an Adam Bonk 3-pointer, and again made it a five-point deficit with 16:39 to play in the second half with a Bonk layup, but a 15-0 Huskie run to follow put the game out of reach.
Joe Borcia led the Rangers offensively, going for 11 points while grabbing six rebounds and recording two blocks. Bonk was the other player in double-figures, as the junior scored 10 and had a team-high two steals. Linwood Lee and Jonah Matulle each chipped in nine while Bret Barclay added seven off the bench. Bonk, Matulle and Espen Fjaerestad each hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Michigan Tech shot the ball well, finishing 33-for-58 (56.9%) from the floor and shooting 50-percent from 3-point range. They also won the rebounding battle, 36-23. The Rangers shot 36.5-percent (19-of-52) and 33.3-percent (8-of-24) from beyond the arc.
The Rangers will finish out the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge on Sunday, Nov. 12 against Northern Michigan at 1 p.m. before heading to Texas for two straight next weekend.
