DECORAH, Iowa - Ben Gill led the team with 11 points in the 72-41 victory over Simpson on Saturday. As a team the Norse shot 43.9 percent from the field and 42.9 from beyond the arc to beat the Storm. With the win Luther is now 7-15 overall and 2-11 in the American Rivers Conference. 

A layup from Randall Days put the Norse up early but it was a slow start for both teams. With 10:47 Daniel Webster tied the game at 7 all with his layup inside the paint. Simpson answered on the other end with a three. Then Luther went on a ten point run for a 17-10 advantage. A little later Simpson pulled within four as they were down 19-15. But Luther was just about to pull away for good. Will Bockenstedt got the Norse going on their 12-0 run to end the half as they headed to the locker room with a 31-15 lead. Luther held Simpson to just 16.7 percent from the floor in the first half. 

To start the second half the two teams traded points back and forth. A three from Webster put the Norse up 39-19. With 14:03 to play Simpson cut the Luther lead to 43-29 but it was far too big of hole to come back from. The Norse kept their offensive stride with three straight possessions with three-pointers from Tim Mewborn, Jake Collis and Bockenstedt extending their lead to 21. Later, Samuel Scott scored a three for the final points for the Norse for a 72-37 with 1:55 to play. Luther finished off the Simpson for a 72-41 win and a split for the 2023-24 series. 

Simpson is now 8-13 overall and 2-10 in the A-R-C.

TOP NORSE

• Gill also had seven rebounds. 
• Andrew Lazinbat had ten points. 
• Jeremy Andera tallied nine points, six rebounds and three assists.
• Three players recorded eight points including Webster, Mewborn, and Matthew Franzen. 

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Luther will play at Coe on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.