BISMARCK, ND – Conner Hellebust hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation to send the University of Mary men's basketball team to overtime for the second straight game. The results proved less favorable this time as visiting Upper Iowa University escaped the McDowell Activity Center with a 92-86 win over the Marauders.
The Marauders defeated Bemidji State 88-80 in overtime on the road last Saturday.
Trevor Zacher led the Marauders with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He hit 5-of-8 shots from behind the arc.
Jaylan White added 15 points and four assists, making 7-of-10 shots.
The Marauders featured a balanced scoring attack as all ten players in the game scored for UMary.
Matthew Kreklow and
Keith Hunter both scored ten points. Hunter added seven rebounds and two assists and Kreklow had five boards.
Wyatt Carr came off the bench to hit two treys, dish three assists and score eight points.
Lucas Mayer scored a career-high eight points. Hellebust hit two 3-pointers and scored six points.
Michael Gorder also chipped in six.
Carson Parker had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Upper Iowa.
The Marauders overcame an 8-point deficit in the closing minutes. Parker hit a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in the game to provide a 77-69 lead for the Peacocks. Not daunted by the task at hand, Zacher began the Marauders charge with a three-ball off a feed from White to close within five points.
Soon down seven after two free throws by Munachiso Okonkwo,
Michael Gorder took a feed in the lane from
Wyatt Carr to close within 79-74. A UMary defensive stop led to a basket by White, making the difference 79-76 with under a minute on the clock. Another defensive stop as Zacher claimed the rebound set up the Marauders final possession.
After White penetrated inside, he kicked the ball to Hellebust in front of the Marauders bench. Firing from the left wing without hesitation, the redshirt freshman drained the 3-ball with ten seconds left to force overtime.
The Marauders scored first in the extra session on a free throw from White but a pair of turnovers and two missed shots allowed the Peacocks to roll off six straight points, the start of a 9-3 run.
Zacher converted a Carr feed into a layup, closing the gap to 88-84 with 25 seconds left in the game. After both teams failed to score on their next possessions, the Peacocks sandwiched four straight free throws around a UMary basket in the final ten seconds to close out the road win.
The game featured eight ties and 13 lead changes. The biggest edge on the night was a 19-2 advantage for Upper Iowa on points off turnovers. The Marauders held the edge in rebounding at 40-33.
The Marauders (5-14 overall, 3-12 NSIC) shot 52 percent for the game, including a 10-for-23 effort from behind the arc. UMary also converted 12-of-14 free throw attempts. UIU (12-12, 5-10 NSIC) shot 44.1 percent from the floor, made 10-of-33 3-pointers and went 22-of-32 at the line.
UMary closes the weekend with a visit from Winona State University on Saturday, January 27, at 6 pm in the McDowell Activity Center.
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