Buschman helps pull V-Hawks out of funk

The Viterbo men's basketball team didn't catch many breaks during a five game losing streak that left them winless for one full month.  

Lately, however, they've been making their own breaks.

The V-Hawks broke through with a 57-54 win over St. Ambrose on Jan. 9, their first victory since Dec. 5. Senior big man Nick Stilwell was the high point man with 16, and added 11 rebounds. 

Four days later Viterbo hosted another conference foe in Waldorf College, this time winning by a 79-70 margin. Senior forward Scott Buschman had a huge night, scoring 27 points and tying his own school record with 18 rebounds. Buschman also recorded three blocked shots.  Guards Eric Ambrose, Ryan Ambrose, and Cameron Johnson also scored in double figures to propel the V-Hawks to a second consecutive conference win.

On Jan. 16, the V-Hawks traveled to Mount Pleasant, Iowa to battle the Tigers of Iowa Wesleyan. Ryan Ambrose sank two free throws in the final minute to give Viterbo a hard-fought 69-67 win. Ryan's brother Eric led the V-Hawks in the scoring department with 17, while Buschman added 15 points and 14 boards. Sophomore Chris Millner provided a spark off the bench with 11 points. 

Viterbo continued their newfound winning ways with a 74-55 win over Clarke College on Jan. 21. Buschman once again had a big game, notching his fourteenth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ryan Ambrose and Nick Stilwell added 14 and 12 points respectively for the V-Hawks.

Buschman was recognized for his recent efforts by being named MCC Player of the Week on January 18. The 6-7 forward is averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game on the year. 

Viterbo's record now sits at 5-2 in the conference and 7-11 overall, only one half game out of first place in the MCC.