MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — For a majority of the first half the Peregrines held the lead, including a seven-point bulge twice in the first 20 minutes, and went to the locker room ahead 31-28. But the wheels came off in the second half and Cardinal Stritch hit 60 percent from the field leading to the 79-55 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference win.

The Peregrines missed their first eight shots in the second half allowing the Wolves to take the lead that they never gave up. Sophomore Robert Williams (Gary West Side) hit the first Peregrine bucket at the 15:20 mark, but the offense dried up for the next six minutes until junior Antonio McNeal (Hammond Gavit) hit a jumper with under 10 minutes to play and put PUC’s deficit at 15 points.

McNeal led the Peregrines with 17 points hitting 58 percent from the floor, and he grabbed three rebounds. McNeal is averaging nine points and 2.7 rebounds per game in the six he has played this season.

Williams, who had three rebounds and a pair of assists, led among the starters finishing with 10 points. He is averaging 7.4 points and 3.3 assists per game.

Senior Vince Johnson (Bishop Noll) and sophomore Antonio Hurt (Michigan City) each scored nine points, and Johnson grabbed six rebounds, while Hurt collected three. Michael Patton (Gary West Side), who continues to lead the Peregrines averaging 7.7 rebounds per game, led all rebounders with eight.

The Peregrines’ offensive struggled the entire second half hitting 9-of-31 (29 percent), while the Wolves’ (14-5 overall, 6-0 CCAC) offensive went in the opposite direction connecting on 20-of-33 (60 percent), including 5-of-10 from the 3-point stripe.

PUC hosts sister school Purdue North Central this Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. start. The game will air live on WJOB 1230-AM with former PUC sports information director Brian Jennings as the lead play-by-play and current students Katie Craig and Joe Wielosinski as color commentators.