The Wisconsin Herd fell to the Motor City Cruise 137-108 at the Wayne State Fieldhouse Nov. 30.
The Herd (3-4) were outrebounded 63-40 and committed 15 turnovers in the contest. Wisconsin shot 47.2% from the field and just 26.9% from behind the arc while the Cruise (6-2) converted on 53.2% of their shots from the floor and 50% of their 3-pointers.
With the loss, the Herd remain in sixth place in the Central Division of the Showcase Cup Standings and Wisconsin sits 1.5 games back of the final Showcase Cup tournament spot.
Milwaukee Bucks two-way player Lindell Wigginton scored 21 points to lead all Herd scorers. Jazian Gortman and Elijah Hughes both added 14 points off the bench for Wisconsin while Wenyen Gabriel finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Motor City’s Jared Rhoden led all scorers with 26 points and tacked on seven rebounds and four assists. Former Herd center Jontay Porter scored 19 points and had 13 boards while Treveon Graham finished with 19 points off the bench. The Cruise had five other players finish in double figures.
Motor City jumped out to a 4-0 lead to begin the game, but Wigginton responded with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one point. Motor City’s Malcolm Cazalon knocked down a 3-pointer minutes later which kick started a 17-6 run that saw the Cruise take a 12-point lead. Motor City maintained a double-digit lead for most of the first quarter and the Cuise led 39-25 at the break.
The Herd began the second quarter on a 7-2 run and cut the lead to nine points with less than nine minutes to play in the half. Wisconsin continued to chip away at the Cruise lead. Hughes scored four straight points and Chris Livingston added a layup to bring the Herd to within four points with four minutes to go. Motor City held onto its lead and Tosan Evboumwan added a layup late in the period to give the Cruise a 67-58 lead going into halftime.
Wisconsin came out of halftime on a 9-5 run, which cut the Cruise lead to four points. Motor City converted on its next four baskets to build an 11-point lead but a dunk from Gabriel jump started an 11-2 run for the Herd that cut the deficit to two points. After a timeout, Motor City ended the quarter on a 19-6 run to take a 15-point lead behind seven points from Zavier Simpson in the final four minutes.
The Herd were unable to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter and Wisconsin was outscored 35-21 in the final period as the Cruise claimed a 29-point win.
