MONROE - The Cheesemakers were looking to avenge a tough loss from a year ago in the second annual Snack Bowl with Freeport.
For 24 minutes, things were going just fine. Then the Pretzels went on an 18-4 run in the fourth quarter, eating away a one-time late 7-point Monroe lead to win 44-35.
"We're a little disappointed obviously," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "We work so hard to get ourselves a good lead and then can't make enough plays to keep it."
Monroe got off to a slow start offensively. The night before Monroe hosted DeForest and dropped 61 points on the Norskies.
"(Freeport is) in the same boat we're in. They actually played an away game last night, so to come out and try to do some things was a little tough for both teams I thought," Murphy said.
Freeport jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Mitch Tordoff (11 points) connected on a jumper with 4 minutes, 14 seconds left to play in the first.
Mitch McArdle then drained a pair of 3-pointers and Monroe finished the period on a 12-5 run.
That run extended to 22-8 after a pair of free throws by junior forward Jake Grinnell, giving the Cheesemakers a 22-14 lead with 5:42 left in the half.
The Pretzels went on a late 8-0 run to tie the game at 22-22 by halftime.
Tordoff got things going in the third, draining a 3-pointer right off the bat. Cullen Sampson hit a jumper to stretch the lead to 27-22 in the third, and Monroe led 31-26 headed into the final frame, thanks to a jumper by Tordoff in the final seconds.
"(Monroe is) a tough team to defend," Freeport head coach Eric Lawfer said. "They have a lot of good shooters, they just didn't shoot that well tonight."
Michael Barrett drove to the hole with 6:10 to go to put the Cheesemakers up 33-26. That would be the last bucket Monroe would make.
"Plays were out there to be made and we didn't make them," Murphy said. "You're playing in front of a lot of people and you just want to do your thing."
"We're getting good looks. We just have to find a way to get some consistency going."
From there, the Pretzels went on an 18-2 run, with Monroe's only points coming off of a pair of Tordoff free throws. Monroe finished 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.
Freeport hit their free throws as well, going 7-for-11 in the fourth quarter and 8-for-12 in the game.
"We got them into foul trouble early, but I don't think we took advantage of that," Murphy said. "The games won't come to you if you don't make any shots and we didn't make hardly any shots.
The two teams played fairly even all game. Both teams finished with 24 rebounds. Freeport had nine steals to Monroe's eight, but the Cheese out-assisted the Pretzels 10-7. Even the turnover differential was similar (Monroe 13, Freeport 11).
"This was just a really good game. I think both teams had a lot to learn," Lawfer said.
McArdle and Barrett each finished with six points while Grinnell and Sampson had four.
Josh Lewis led Freeport with 14 points and Ryan Hickey added 10.
"It's a learning experience and now our guys have to figure out how they want to finish out their year," Murphy said.
"We've got a few more games coming up still and we just need to see a little bit more consistency than we've been getting."
Monroe has a few days to find their shot again before hosting Milton on Thursday.
Tordoff dropped 35 on the Red Hawks the last time the two teams met.
Monroe finishes off its season trying to stay atop the Badger South.
"One way to look at it is that this was the kind of atmosphere and team we might see in the tournament," Murphy said.
For 24 minutes, things were going just fine. Then the Pretzels went on an 18-4 run in the fourth quarter, eating away a one-time late 7-point Monroe lead to win 44-35.
"We're a little disappointed obviously," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "We work so hard to get ourselves a good lead and then can't make enough plays to keep it."
Monroe got off to a slow start offensively. The night before Monroe hosted DeForest and dropped 61 points on the Norskies.
"(Freeport is) in the same boat we're in. They actually played an away game last night, so to come out and try to do some things was a little tough for both teams I thought," Murphy said.
Freeport jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Mitch Tordoff (11 points) connected on a jumper with 4 minutes, 14 seconds left to play in the first.
Mitch McArdle then drained a pair of 3-pointers and Monroe finished the period on a 12-5 run.
That run extended to 22-8 after a pair of free throws by junior forward Jake Grinnell, giving the Cheesemakers a 22-14 lead with 5:42 left in the half.
The Pretzels went on a late 8-0 run to tie the game at 22-22 by halftime.
Tordoff got things going in the third, draining a 3-pointer right off the bat. Cullen Sampson hit a jumper to stretch the lead to 27-22 in the third, and Monroe led 31-26 headed into the final frame, thanks to a jumper by Tordoff in the final seconds.
"(Monroe is) a tough team to defend," Freeport head coach Eric Lawfer said. "They have a lot of good shooters, they just didn't shoot that well tonight."
Michael Barrett drove to the hole with 6:10 to go to put the Cheesemakers up 33-26. That would be the last bucket Monroe would make.
"Plays were out there to be made and we didn't make them," Murphy said. "You're playing in front of a lot of people and you just want to do your thing."
"We're getting good looks. We just have to find a way to get some consistency going."
From there, the Pretzels went on an 18-2 run, with Monroe's only points coming off of a pair of Tordoff free throws. Monroe finished 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.
Freeport hit their free throws as well, going 7-for-11 in the fourth quarter and 8-for-12 in the game.
"We got them into foul trouble early, but I don't think we took advantage of that," Murphy said. "The games won't come to you if you don't make any shots and we didn't make hardly any shots.
The two teams played fairly even all game. Both teams finished with 24 rebounds. Freeport had nine steals to Monroe's eight, but the Cheese out-assisted the Pretzels 10-7. Even the turnover differential was similar (Monroe 13, Freeport 11).
"This was just a really good game. I think both teams had a lot to learn," Lawfer said.
McArdle and Barrett each finished with six points while Grinnell and Sampson had four.
Josh Lewis led Freeport with 14 points and Ryan Hickey added 10.
"It's a learning experience and now our guys have to figure out how they want to finish out their year," Murphy said.
"We've got a few more games coming up still and we just need to see a little bit more consistency than we've been getting."
Monroe has a few days to find their shot again before hosting Milton on Thursday.
Tordoff dropped 35 on the Red Hawks the last time the two teams met.
Monroe finishes off its season trying to stay atop the Badger South.
"One way to look at it is that this was the kind of atmosphere and team we might see in the tournament," Murphy said.
