BISMARCK, ND – Unstoppable in the closing minutes of the game, Kai Huntsberry scored from everywhere on the court to lift the University of Mary men's basketball team to a 65-60 victory over visiting University of Minnesota Crookston. Huntsberry finished with a game-high 25 points as he tallied 11 of the Marauders final 14 points.
 
Down 52-48 after leading much of the day, Davids Altebauers drained a 3-pointer for UMary to close the gap to a single point with just under 7:00 to play.
 
The rest of the game belonged to Huntsberry. The junior guard from New Orleans, LA, grabbed a defensive rebound off a blocked shot by Kade Amundson and went coast to coast to give the Marauders a lead at 53-52 that UMary would never relinquish.
 
Following two missed free throws by UMC, Huntsberry hit a jumper from just outside the paint to push the UMary advantage to 55-52. Two free throws by Huntsberry capped a 9-0 run for UMary.
 
In answer to a Golden Eagles hoop, Amundson drained a trey with over three minutes on the clock for a 60-54 advantage.
 
Minnesota Crookston soon hacked the UMary lead down to 60-59 on a three by Ethan Channel and a dunk by Leonard Dixon.
 
Huntsberry quickly regained control for the Marauders, knocking down a trey with 1:22 on the clock before sealing the UMary victory with a jumper with 28 seconds remaining in the game and a 65-59 lead.
 
The fifth leading scorer this season in the Northern Sun, Huntsberry was an efficient 10-of-17 from the floor and 3-of-5 behind the arc. He chipped in four assists and four rebounds.
 
Josh Sipes added 10 points in the game as he hit 5-of-8 shots. He also hauled down four boards.
 
The Marauders held a massive 43-34 edge in rebounding, leading to a 13-7 edge in 2^nd chance points. Jacob Jackson and Kade Amundson played key roles in the edge on the glass. Jackson, who along with Sipes were making their first starts of the season, hauled down 13 rebounds. He added seven points and three assists. Amundson snared 10 boards, scored seven points and blocked two shots.
 
Matthew Johnson came off the bench to score seven points as nine Marauders posted points in the game.
 
Channel paced UMC with 14 points. Dixon hit three treys, had four steals, grabbed nine rebounds and scored 13 points.
 
The Marauders close out the 2021 portion of their schedule with a record of 4-9 overall and 3-4 in the NSIC. The Golden Eagles are 4-9/1-6.
 
UMary returns to play Sunday, January 2, looking for a season sweep of Minot State University when the Marauders host the Beavers. Tip off is 2 pm at the McDowell Activity Center.
 
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