The Lake Forest College men's basketball team won its third consecutive game Tuesday night, a 78-60 decision at Lawrence University. Forester freshman guard Danny Nikitas led all players in the game with a career-high 27 points and he knocked down a program record eight three-pointers in the contest.
Nikitas was playing in front of several family and friends and against his older brother Jamie, a standout at Lawrence. He shot 8-for-12 from beyond the arc and added a game-high four assists on the night.
Sophomore forward Jim Schick was next on the Foresters with 15 points and he tied with Lake Forest senior forward Brian Madson for game-high honors in rebounds with 10. It was Schick's league-high seventh double-double of the season. Madson finished just two points shy of a double-double of his own and chipped in with three blocked shots. Sophomore guard Andrew Toth connected three times from three-point range and joined Nikitas and Schick in double figures with 13 points
Lake Forest posted its highest three-point field goal percentage of the year, making 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) from long range. The 15 three-pointers are also their second-most in a game this season and matched the fifth-highest total in team history. The Foresters shot 42.9 percent from the field overall while Lawrence was at 46.8. The visitors committed just eight turnovers, one away from their season-low, and forced 10 Viking miscues. Lake Forest also had a commanding 41-25 edge in rebounds.
Lawrence's only lead of the night was 9-7 and it disappeared on Nikitas' first three-pointer. He made four more from beyond the arc in the period as the Foresters gradually pulled away. They led by as many as 13 in the first half, which ended with the visitors ahead 43-31.
The margin remained in double figures throughout the second half. A 9-2 Lake Forest run extended the lead to 17 points early in the half but Lawrence cut it back down to 11 four minutes later. The Foresters pulled away again and eventually led by as many as 20 late in the contest.
Lake Forest's third victory in a row raised the team's overall record to 9-8 and Midwest Conference mark to 8-5, good for fourth in the league standings. Lawrence fell to 6-1 overall and 4-8 in the the conference.
The Foresters will continue MWC play on Saturday against visiting Monmouth College (12-4, 9-2 MWC). Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.