SIOUX FALLS, SD –
Kai Huntsberry closed out a memorable season for the University of Mary men's basketball team with a record-setting day in the Marauders 84-73 loss to #12 University of Minnesota Duluth in the quarterfinals of the NSIC/Sanford Health men's basketball tournament.
Huntsberry broke the NSIC tournament record with eight 3-pointers, breaking the old mark of seven. The 2022 NSIC Newcomer of the Year dropped a career-high 42 points on the Bulldogs. Huntsberry finished the game 8-of-14 behind the arc.
Producing points all across the court, Huntsberry was 15-of-25 overall from the field and made all four free throws. The All-NSIC 1
st team guard just missed a double double with nine rebounds.
Huntsberry tied the Marauders NCAA-era single game scoring record, equaling the mark of All-American Anthony Moody at St. Cloud State University on February 17, 2011. Huntsberry set a UMary NCAA-era postseason scoring mark, exceeding All-NSIC forward Bryan Jefferson's total of 30 at Minnesota State University on February 22, 2017, in the first round of the NSIC tournament.
In his final game with the Marauders,
Davids Atelbauers added 16 points. The senior guard hit a pair of treys and finished 6-of-12 from the field and had five rebounds.
Six Marauders found their way into the scoring column. UMary was solid beyond the arc, finishing 11-of-24 on treys.
Despite shooting just 38% in the first half, the Marauders led the Bulldogs 36-34 behind 27 points from Huntsberry. The junior guard hit a trey just before the buzzer to send the Marauders into intermission with the lead.
UMary shot 50% in the second half but couldn't continue containing a UMD attack that made 56% of its shots in the second half and outscored the Marauders 50-37.
After a driving basket by Huntsberry gave the Marauders a 43-42 lead, Josh Brown hit a 3-pointer to push the Bulldogs in front for the remainder of the game.
UMary pulled within a basket a handful of times, the last on an Atlebauers' trey to close within 50-48. Brown responded with another triple and a layup as UMD's advantage soon grew to 57-48 behind a 7-0 run.
The Marauders, the 5
th seed in the NSIC North, close the season with a record of 11-17. The top seed in the NSIC North, UMD is 24-4.
The victory gives the Bulldogs a 2-1 edge in the season series. The Marauders had knocked off then-6
th ranked UMD in early February, the highest-ranked team UMary has beaten at home.
Fresh off the Marauders first-ever NSIC tournament road win at Winona State on Wednesday, UMary advanced to the NSIC quarterfinal round for the first time since 2017.
UMary finished the game shooting 43% from the field to a 51.5% mark for UMD. The Marauders held a 38-36 edge in rebounds.
Kam Warrens finished with five points, six rebounds and a team-high three assists.
Austin Andrews posted 19 points and 15 rebounds for UMD. Drew Blair added 20 points, Charlie Katona 16 and Brown 15.
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