UW-La Crosse opened its men's basketball season Friday night with a 100-89 loss to Saint John's of Minnesota at the UW-Superior NBC Tip-Off Classic, played at Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium in Superior. Both teams were playing their first game of the season, and UWL came in ranked 18th in the D3hoops.com preseason poll.
Saint John's built a 49-36 lead late in the first half before UWL closed the half with 12 straight points to trail by one at the break. Grieger's jumper to start the second half put the Eagles ahead 50-49, but that was their last lead, and the Eagles got no closer than 10 points down the stretch.
Grieger led UWL with 33 points and nine assists. Ian Kowal added 12 points and Jack Crowley 11, while Jackson Hayes and Eli Schroeder each scored eight off the bench.
With seven made free throws in the game, Grieger reached 353 for his career and became UWL's career leader. The old record was 350, set by Gar Ammerman between 1957 and 1960. Grieger also set UWL single-season records for free throws made and attempted last season.
Peyton Podany scored 24 points and Kyle Johnson 23 for Saint John's, which shot 63.8 percent from the field. UWL finishes the classic against St. Olaf on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m.
