The Riverland men’s basketball team bounced back from their winter break and it paid off as they beat Western Technical College for the second time in three tries with an 88-84 win in La Crosse Wednesday.

The Blue Devils (8-5 overall) trailed by as many as 19 in the second half, but they used their full court press to get back in the game.

“I didn’t look good for awhile, but we put on the press at 13 minutes and we got back in it,” RCC head coach Scott Koenigs said. “We love our press, but I don’t like playing zone defense, so we don’t always like to use it.”

Denzel Smith, a 6-3 sophomore from Kenosha, Wis., poured in 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in his season debut for the Blue Devils and Jordan Washburn, a 6-1 freshman from Washburn High School in Minneapolis, scored 15 points in his first game for RCC.

Austin grad Andrew Kaiser scored 18 points and Pacelli grad Cody Meyer scored six points in his first game for RCC.

“Andrew did what he always does, he just went down the baseline and got to the hoop,” Koenigs said. “Cody did a lot of good things tonight. He was very physical and he hit two key threes.”Zach Bunch, a freshman from Kenosha, Wis., had 14 points and six assists for RCC.

The Blue Devils next three games are against nationally ranked opponents.

RCC 29 59 — 88

WT 34 50 — 84

RCC scoring: Denzel Smith, 27; Andrew Kaiser, 18; Jordan Osberg, 15; Zach Bunch, 14; Cody Meyer, 6; Marucs Ratliff, 5; Wayne Canady, 3; free throws: 67 percent (12-for-18)