LAKE WALES, Fla - The Bethany Lutheran men's basketball program traveled to the Sunshine State for two non-conference games to close out 2016 and begin the New Year. On Saturday, the Vikings played Warner University in the first of two games in Florida.  The Vikings – falling short to Warner 100-86.
 
The Warner Royals entered the game against the Vikings with a 13-1 record and were ranked #6 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II rankings.
 
Senior Brandyn Frelix (Minneapolis, Minn.) led the offensive scoring for the Vikings. The forward finished with 24 points, shooting 10-14 from the field while collecting six rebounds. Junior Neil Eichten (Wabasso, Minn.) shot 50% (7-14) from the field to add 23 points to the attack. Sophomore Jarred Merchant (Kimball, Minn.) was solid in the post for the Vikings shooting 80 percent from the field and tallying 14 points.
 
Following the loss, the Vikings fall to 5-6 overall and remain at 3-2 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
UP NEXT:
The men's basketball program will conclude their trip on Tuesday, January 3^rd when they take on Johnson University in Kissimmee, Florida. The Vikings will tip-off at 3 p.m. (EST) against the Suns.          

To stay current with Vikings athletics, continue to visit www.blcvikings.com and follow @BLCvikings on Twitter. MEDIA: If you need further information, please feel free to contact Lucas Herd at 507-344-7856 or email lucas.herd@blc.edu.