LAKE FOREST, Ill. - After shooting 56 percent (14-25) in the first half on Tuesday night, the Ripon men's basketball team shot just 30 percent (10-33) after halftime. That, combined with Lake Forest's 47 percent (16-34) shooting in the second half gave the Foresters a 78-59 victory.

The two teams traded baskets early on, before Lake Forest (8-4, 6-2 MWC) used a 10-2 run to take a 12-point lead with nine minutes left in the opening half. The Foresters still led by double digits with four and a half minutes remaining, but the Red Hawks (8-6, 6-3 MWC) closed out the half on a 15-2 run to take a 35-33 lead into halftime.

Ripon scored the first five points of the second half to take their largest lead of seven with 17 and a half minutes to play. That lead quickly vanished, as Lake Forest scored nine consecutive points to pull in front. Ripon would tie the game at 44 on a Ty Sabin basket on the ensuing possession, but the Foresters coasted from there, outscoring Ripon 34-15 during the final 14 minutes.

Sabin was the only Ripon player to score in double figures, as he posted 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Ty Ketz and Koy Brecklin added seven points apiece, while Brendan McCoy pulled down a career-high eight rebounds.

Lake Forest turned the ball over just six times. They were led by Mike Rueffer's 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Jim Schick and Danny Sotos each scored 16 points, while combining for 11 rebounds and nine assists and Andrew Toth added 13 points off the bench.

Ripon will try to rebound on Saturday when they'll return home to host Monmouth College in what is essentially a battle for fourth place in the MWC standings. That game will begin at 1 p.m. at Storzer Center in Ripon.