The Lake Forest College men's basketball team was defeated 61-54 by visiting Edgewood College Tuesday night in the first game of the season for both teams. Forester senior captains Travis Clark and Nate Bateman each posted a double-double in the contest.
Clark led all players in the game with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three blocked shots, and three steals. He shot 10-for-16 from the field and added three assists. Bateman scored 14 points, pulled down 10 boards, and dished out a game-high five assists. It was the 22nd career double-double for Clark and the second for Bateman.
Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field, had 39 rebounds, and committed just nine turnovers. Both squads also knocked down four three-pointers but Lake Forest needed 27 attempts to the Eagles' 14. The difference in the game was at the free throw line where the visitors made 15 of 23 attempts and the Foresters just four of eight.
The teams traded short runs and created seven lead changes in the first half. The Eagles led by as many as eight in the period and the Foresters by three. Edgewood headed into the locker room at halftime ahead 37-31.
Lake Forest out-scored the Eagles 14-5 in the first five-and-a-half minutes of the second half to take a 45-42. The game was tied at 47 with less than seven-and-a-half minutes left when Edgewood made a three-pointer to take the lead for good. The home team struggled from the field down the stretch and was unable to come back again.
The Foresters will be back in action at home Thursday night against Lakeland College. The non-conference contest will begin at 7:00 p.m.
