MOORHEAD, MN – Another dominant second half effort carried the University of Mary to a second straight win. After rallying past Minot State University on Tuesday for UMary's first win of the season, the Marauders overcame a double digit deficit for a second straight game to defeat the University of Sioux Falls 83-74 on the opening day of the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic.
The game between the Marauders (2-3 overall, 1-0 NSIC) and the Cougars (3-3, 0-1) was a non-conference game between the two conference foes. Hosted by MSU Moorhead, the Marauders close out the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic at 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 27, against Winona State University in on-conference play.
The victory was the second straight win for new UMary head coach
Jack Nelson against a school at which he once coached. Prior to joining UMary last spring, Nelson spent the last three years as an assistant at Sioux Falls, his second stint with the Cougars. Nelson's first win helming the Marauders came at Minot State, where he had spent four seasons earlier in his career.
Behind another big effort from
Kai Huntsberry and clutch free throw shooting by UMary down the stretch, the Marauders outscored the Cougars 55-38 in the second half.
Huntsberry paced the Marauders with 26 points, the fourth straight game he has led UMary in points. The junior from New Orleans, LA, knocked down all 11 free throw attempts and distributed seven assists.
Providing added scoring punch in the starting lineup,
Kade Amundson and
Treyton Mattern both hit for double digits as the former Bismarck Century teammates combined for 27 points. Nearly perfect from the field and the line, Amundson produced 16 points. He was 5-of-6 from the floor, made 2-of-3 behind the arc, and converted all four free throw attempts. Mattern hit a pair of treys on his way to 11 points. He also added a team-high eight rebounds and dished three assists.
Jacob Jackson once again provided a major spark for the Marauders off the bench. The Sacramento, CA, native scored a career-best 14 points, reaching double figures for a third straight game. Jackson went 2-for-3 behind the arc, made 4-of-6 shots overall and nailed all four free throws. He also snared five rebounds.
Down as many as a dozen points at 36-24, the Marauders started a 12-0 run just before intermission on layups by Huntsberry and
Gertautas Urbonavicius to close the gap to 36-28 at half. UMary continued its run on a Huntsberry layup and a three by Mattern before Amundson converted a 3-point play to pull even at 36-36.
After Sioux Falls regained the upper hand at 59-53 with just over eight minutes remaining, UMary made a push to claim a 61-60 lead on a Huntsberry layup, the first of five straight lead changes.
A pair of Jackson free throws gave the Marauders the lead for good at 65-64 with just under four minutes to play and kicked off a decisive 10-0 run for UMary. Amundson followed with an offensive put back before back-to-back treys from Jackson and Amundson pushed UMary to its biggest lead of the day at 73-64.
The Marauders sealed their win at the line. After the Cougars closed within 75-70, UMary hit eight straight free throws in the final 35 seconds with Huntsberry making six and Amundson two.
USF made 49% of its shots in the first half before the Marauders disrupted the Cougars attack in the second. Sioux Falls made just 39% of its shots after intermission and 44% for the game. UMary shot 53% in the second half and 47% for the game. Both teams hit eight treys and the Cougars made 29 field goals to 26 for the Marauders. The effort at the line proved the difference as UMary made 25-of-31 free throws while USF finished 8-of-13.
Once again the Marauders outrebounded the opposition (37-36). UMary also held a 16-6 edge in points off turnovers despite committing 11 turnovers to nine for USF.
The Cougars had five players in double figures, led by Matt Cartwright with 17. Wesley Oba posted 15.
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