MOUNT VERNON, Iowa -- The Lawrence University men's basketball team fell behind early Saturday and never got within striking distance in a 79-62 Midwest Conference loss to Cornell College at the Small Athletic Center.
    Lawrence, which played without star forward Adnan Sarancic, took its only lead on the first basket of the game but trailed by double digits less than six minutes into the contest. 
    Rookie forward Casey Schoenecker had a huge game for the Vikings as he poured in a game-high 26 points. Schoenecker, who also pulled down seven rebounds, went 12-for-18 from the floor. 
    Schoenecker was one of four Vikings (5-19, 3-12 MWC) in doubles figures. Nicholas Gouriotis added 14 points, and Hogan Demovsky and Jake Fisher had 10 points apiece. Demovsky had a team-best eight rebounds, and Fisher handed out a game-high six assists.
    After going down 19-7 in the opening half the Vikings closed to 23-16 on Schoenecker dunk but got no closer before the break. Cornell led 41-26 at the half.
    The Rams led by as many as 22 in the second half, but Lawrence made a run at Cornell late in the game. The Vikings went on a 10-1 burst, started by Nicolas Manzanera's jumper and completed by Gouriotis' 3-pointer, to cut the lead to 69-61 with 3:27 remaining.
    Cornell scored the game's next five points to regain control.
    Zach Ingle led Cornell (8-15, 5-9) with 21 points.