DULUTH, MN – While the University of Mary's Damonta Henry and Bryan Jefferson both cracked 20 points each for the second straight game, the deep game for the University of Minnesota Duluth carried the homestanding Bulldogs to a narrow 86-84 win over the Marauders.
 
A contest between the inside scoring punch of the Marauders (5-8 overall, 3-4 NSIC) and the outside accuracy of the Bulldogs (2-9, 2-4), the two teams exchanged leads seven times while pulling even ten times. Mary held a 49-30 edge in points in the paint while UMD hit ten treys to four for the Marauders.
 
Both squads shot well. The Marauders knocked down 56.4 percent of their field goal attempts, but went just 4-of-18 on 3-pointers. The Bulldogs shot 50 percent and made 10-of-29 trey attempts. After hitting just 1-of-14 behind the arc in the opening half, UMD found its groove in the second and made 9-of-15. Both squads were solid at the line. Mary made 18-of-22 free throws and UMD was 18-of-24.
 
Mary scored the first four points of the game and never trailed in the opening half. Behind a 13-2 run keyed by two Isaac Lindquist baskets and a 3-point play by Jefferson, the Marauders built a 30-17 lead, their largest margin of the game.
 
Down 36-29 at half, the Bulldogs battled to knot the game at 46-46. A Logan Rohrscheib layup gave UMD its first lead 57-52 at the midway point of the second half.
 
Mary regained the lead at 61-60 after Jefferson hammered home a dunk, was fouled and connected on a free throw to complete the 3-point play.
 
Henry then took over the scoring role for Mary, scoring the Marauders next nine points while the Bulldogs combined for 11 and regained the lead.
 
Down one, Luke Scott drained a trey off a Henry assists to push the Marauders back in front 73-71 with just under three minutes left. Trenton Krueger pulled UMD even before Henry hit two free throws to regain Mary's lead at 75-73. It was the last Marauders lead of the game.
 
The Bulldogs owned the final two minutes, going on a 9-0 run to take control of the game. A Rohrsheib 3-pointer pushed UMD in front before Krueger converted a 3-point play to go up 79-74. Jake Wilson sealed UMD's win with a steal and another 3-point play for an 82-75 Bulldogs lead with 45 seconds remaining.
 
Refusing to fold, back-to-back baskets by Pat Thomas closed the Marauders within 82-80. A Lindquist layup pushed Mary to 83-82 with 22 seconds on the clock before UMD made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 19 seconds to extinguish Mary's hopes for a comeback.
 
Henry came off the bench to score 23 points. The senior guard made three treys and was 8-of-16 from the floor.
 
For the third time this season Jefferson missed a double double by one rebound. The senior all-league performer scored 21 points on 8-of-12 shots and made all five free throws. He had nine rebounds before fouling out.
 
Held scoreless the last two games, Rickey Suggs was perfect from the field in four attempts and made both free throws on the way to ten points.
 
Wilson led UMD with 24 points, making 8-of-10 shots overall and 4-of-6 behind the arc. He was also perfect at the free throw line in four attempts. Rohrscheib made three treys and added 17 points off the bench.
 
The Marauders close out 2016 with a New Year's Day game at St. Cloud State. Game time is 6 pm.
 
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