Foresters Get Important Win Over Monmouth at Home 82-69 
Captains lead the way
  

Co-captain Brian Bruha led Lake Forest with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Foresters were led in scoring, rebounding and by the example set by their captains, junior guard Brian Bruha (Hillsboro, WI/Hillsboro) and senior center J.R. Jurecko (Libertyville, IL/Libertyville). The team leaders made sure they did not suffer their first three-game losing streak since November of 1999. Bruha shot 7-for-10 from the floor, including 2-for-3 from three-point range to score 16 points. He also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, dished out 3 assists and added 6 steals. Jurecko was next on the Foresters with 15 points and 8 rebounds and added a pair of blocked shots.

After missing all but a minute of the team's losses over the weekend, sophomore guard Lee Taylor (Sheldon, IA/Sheldon) was back on the court and contributing in various ways, notching 13 points, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Sophomore guard Fred Bell (Mequon, WI/Homestead) and junior guard Bryan Bertola (Green Bay, WI/Bay Port) also scored in double-figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively, and combined to make 5 of 11 three-pointers.

Lake Forest overcame a two-rebound deficit (43-41) and 25 turnovers by shooting 53.3% from the field. Monmouth shot just 25-for-74 from the field (33.8%) against the Foresters, who entered the week ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 37.4%.

After Monmouth scored the game's first two points, the Foresters rattled off eight straight. Lake Forest led by as many as 13 before Monmouth closed the gap to four with just over a 2 minutes left in the first half. Taylor made two free throws with 1:02 to go before intermission and then had an assist, a steal and a three-pointer in the final 10 seconds of the period to give the Foresters a 43-32 halftime lead. Monmouth was unable to get closer than nine points and trailed by as many as 18 in the second half.

The win gives Lake Forest a one-game lead in the league over Grinnell College (9-4), where the Foresters will play their next game on Saturday (February 10th) at 3:00 PM. One more win will clinch a spot for the Foresters in the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament on February 23-24th and the Foresters could clinch their second consecutive MWC Title with a win at Grinnell and a loss by Illinois College at Knox on Wednesday (February 7th).

Box Score