MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Concordia University Wisconsin men's basketball team battled hard on Wednesday night despite being without two of their contributing centers, ultimately falling to the nationally ranked Warriors of Wisconsin Lutheran College by a final score of 59-90. 

The loss dropped the Falcons' record to 13-11 overall and 10-7 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play.

Despite the absence of key players, the Falcons stayed competitive in the first half, trailing 30-43 at the break. 

Sophomore Matt Merlo (Random Lake, Wis.) had a solid opening frame, contributing 12 points and four assists on efficient shooting. Freshman Luke Eggemeyer (Perryville, Mo.) and sophomore Severin Hilt (West Bend, Wis.) both added five points on 2-of-4 shooting.

On the defensive end, Merlo and sophomore Mekhi Sutton (San Diego, Calif.) each had a block, while sophomore Casey Verhagen (Sheboygan, Wis.) chipped in with two steals. 

However, the Warriors came out strong, quickly building a 20-point lead near the midway point of the first half. 

Despite the Falcons' best efforts to claw back, Wisconsin Lutheran's offense continued to roll, eventually extending their lead to 30 points and securing the 90-59 victory.

Merlo led the Falcons with a well-rounded performance, finishing with a career-high 20 points, five assists, two blocks, and six rebounds. Eggemeyer also reached double figures, adding 10 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Sophomore Jayden Guyton (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) provided a spark off the bench, contributing five points, one assist, and one steal.

Looking ahead, the Falcons will aim to close out the regular season with a win on the road against Benedictine on Saturday in Illinois. A victory would help secure a home playoff seed for the upcoming NACC postseason tournament.