SIOUX FALLS, S.D. –A second half surge placed the University of Mary in position to upset the nation's top-ranked team but the Marauders couldn't complete their comeback in an 87-80 road loss to #1 Augustana University.
Trailing by as many as 21 points early in the second half, the Marauders dug deep, used their bench depth and turned up the defensive pressure to pull within a single possession of the Vikings, ranked first this week in the NABC national poll.
This was the first time the Marauders have faced a team ranked first in the country in a decade when U-Mary faced Winona State University in January 2007.
The Marauders bench produced 34 points to 12 for the Vikings. U-Mary also converted Augie turnovers into 26 points while allowing 10. In the second half alone the Marauders had an 18-0 edge in points off turnovers as U-Mary outscored Augie 45-33.
Damonta Henry provided the Marauders an offensive spark off the bench, hitting two treys and scoring a team-high 14 points. The junior guard also had two steals.
Rickey Suggs also sparkled off the bench. The junior forward made 6-of-7 field goal attempts on his way to 13 points, led the team with four steals, added three assists and had four rebounds in just 18 minutes.
Erron Collins added five points in reserve and
Darius Sparks two during the Marauders furious second half rally.
Trailing from start to finish, the Marauders were outscored 34-17 in the final 9:01 of the opening half. After Daniel Jansen hit a layup to open the second half and extend the Augie advantage to 56-35, U-Mary suddenly found its footing.
Holding Augie without a field goal for nearly six minutes, the Marauders closed within 57-45 after an offensive putback by
Bryan Jefferson and a steal and fastbreak layup by Suggs.
Continuing to turn up the pressure, Suggs capped a 17-4 Marauders run with another steal and slam to pull U-Mary within 60-42 with 13:06 remaining in the game.
Another surge – a 10-0 run – pulled the Marauders within 68-66. A Suggs jumper started the push and two Devon Douglas steals on consecutive Vikings possessions led to a Douglas layup and a jumper from Sparks. Another Douglas layup and two
Marquealis Edwards free throws closed the run.
After Augie responded with five straight points, a Henry trey and an Edwards layup pulled U-Mary within 73-71. The Vikings responded with a Jansen layup to push their advantage to four before a Jefferson jumper in the lane closed the contest to 75-73.
The rest of the night belonged to Augie. The Vikings rolled off six straight points, including consecutive layups by Casey Schilling, and held off the Marauders upset bid.
Jefferson added 13 points for U-Mary and had a team-high seven rebounds. Edwards scored 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, distributed six assists and made two steals.
Schilling led Augie with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Jansen had 25 points and 11 rebounds. Jordan Spencer distributed 16 assists.
The Marauders have lost six straight games and slipped to 13-8 overall and 8-7 in the Northern Sun. U-Mary is third in the NSIC North and sixth overall in the league. Augie is 18-1 and 15-0 to lead the NSIC.
U-Mary closes the weekend and a four-game road swing at Wayne State College on Sunday, Jan. 31. Tip off is set for 3 p.m.
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