Junior forward Danny Sotos led the Foresters with 18 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds but the Lake Forest College men's basketball team was defeated 84-55 by the University of St. Francis at the Roosevelt New Years Classic on Saturday.
Sotos shot 6-for-9 from the field and junior guard Jordan Moran, who was next on the team with 14 points, was 5-for-9. Moran also led the Foresters with four assists.
Lake Forest's scoring output and field goal percentage (.380) on the day were season-lows and the Foresters made just five of 26 attempts from beyond the arc and 12 of 24 foul shots. St. Francis shot 47 percent from the field, had a 42-31 rebounding advantage, and committed just 12 of the game's 30 turnovers.
The Fighting Saints never trailed and gradually pulled away in the first half. The margin reached 21 late in the period and was there again at 49-28 when the buzzer sounded. The Foresters got no closer than 18 points in the second half as St. Francis continued to roll.
The non-conference loss dropped Lake Forest's overall record on the season to 8-3 while St. Francis improved to 6-9.
The Foresters will resume Midwest Conference play with a home game against Monmouth College Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.