December 2, 2020 at 12:50 p.m.
Lakeland rallies past Rhinelander, snaps Hodags GNC winning streak
Lakeland rallies past Rhinelander, snaps Hodags GNC winning streak
The Hodags led most of the way Tuesday night but foul trouble down the stretch helped Lakeland put together a decisive 20-4 second-half run as the T-Birds defeated RHS 54-46 at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.
Julianna Ouimette scored 23 points for Lakeland, which denied Rhinelander a chance to tie the record for most consecutive GNC victories at 29.
Though Rhinelander had the winning streak, it was considered the underdog on Tuesday night after graduating last year's GNC co-players of the year Kenedy Van Zile and Cynthia Beavers. That did not make the defeat any easier to take for Hodag coach Ryan Clark.
"Frustrating because it's a winnable game and I knew it would be," he said. "No moral victories in this one. Lakeland's a good program. We want to be a good program. We have to find a way to win."
The Hodags held a 37-29 lead with 10:40 remaining in the second half and then fortunes turned. Lakeland scored on its next two trips down the floor, then Rebecca Lawrence picked up her fourth personal foul for Rhinelander with 9:42 remaining.
Without its leading scorer, the Hodags went 7 minutes, 20 seconds without a bucket as Lakeland turned an eight-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
"We can't afford to have Rebecca to get in foul trouble," Clark said. "That one she picked up at the half court was just kind of a silly foul and those are the ones that come back to bite you, because you're going to get a couple when you're playing in the scrum and playing so hard. You're going to get a few tough breaks against you."
Lily Fortier put Lakeland ahead 38-37 on a put back with 7:49 remaining and the T-Birds did not trail the rest of the way.
A Rhinelander team that struggled against Wausau West's full-court press in the season opener Nov. 24 fared better against Lakeland's press, especially in the first half. The Hodags were successful in slowing the tempo down, preventing live-ball turnovers and keeping Ouimette in check. Early 3s by Megan Brown, Ella Schiek and Ava Lamers helped stake Rhinelander to an 11-4 lead and Rhinelander remained ahead the remainder of the first half. Annika Johnson hit two of three free-throw attempts after being fouled on a shot with 0.1 seconds remaining to give Rhinelander a 23-20 lead at the break.
The Hodags had success inside early in the second half with Lawrence and Brynn Brzycki scoring the first six points of the second half to push the lead to nine.
"I thought in the first half we defended really well, played to our strengths," Clark said. "The first part of the second half I thought we continued to do it, and did a little bit better of taking care of the ball for a stretch. Then we missed a few finishes, had a few careless turnovers and then we didn't defend. We let them come right back tie it and take the lead."
Brzycki, a 5-11 junior, had 16 points on 6 of 7 shooting to lead Rhinelander in scoring for the second time in three games. Clark said she's developing into a post presence that the Hodags have lacked over the last several years.
"She works really hard in the weight room, she works really hard in practice and the game's slowed down a little bit for her," he said. "She did fantastic and I think she's kind of a difference maker for us because, when she catches it 1-on-1 in the post, she's going to score and she's great at the free throw line."
Lawrence added 15 points for Rhinelander, which shot 38.6% (17 of 44) from the field. Hailey Curtis and Joeli Koehler each had nine points for Lakeland. Curtis hit Lakeland's only 3, a shot from the right corner with 3:06 remaining that put the T-Birds ahead 52-43. Lakeland finished the night 40.7% (22-54) from the field.
Though Rhinelander forced 24 Lakeland turnovers, Clark said the Hodags needed more intensity on the defensive end of the floor, especially in the second half.
"This is the kind of games we're going to be in," he said. "It's going to be a battle to the end and we have to mentally stay strong and we have to rely on, this year, our ability to get stops on the defensive end and rebound."
Lakeland held a 38-28 rebounding advantage in the game, including a 13-6 edge on the offensive glass.
Rhinelander (1-2, 0-1 Great Northern) returns to action tonight at home against Northland Pines and has picked up a non-conference game tomorrow afternoon at Three Lakes.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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