Coach Draves Postgame Interview
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FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – It was a game decided at the free throw line and the Marian University men's basketball team rose to the occasion, draining 26-of-31 attempts in defeating the visiting Vikings of Lawrence University, 75-65, in non-conference action here inside Sadoff Gymnasium this evening, Nov. 23.
In a physical game that saw 47 combined fouls, an 83.9 percent clip at the charity stripe out-did the Vikings' 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) effort and the Sabres moved to 2-2 on the young season, dropping Lawrence to 1-3 in the process.
Junior guard
Jeff Harris led the Sabres with 19 points on 7-of-18 from the field and 3-of-7 from three point range. Sophomore forward
Cody Veleke added 17 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
Mike Keller and
Sam Koslowski also reached double figures, adding 14 and 10 points, respectively. Chris Siebert was scored a team-high 19 points for the Vikings.
It was a tight first half as neither team led by more than five points until the final few minutes before halftime. The Sabres looked poised to take a first half lead into the locker room after gaining the momentum with a
Rashad Wahab second chance put-back with 4:58 left in the half.
But then a cold streak struck the royal blue and scarlet as they went without a field goal for more than three and a half minutes and without a point for 3:17. Meanwhile, the Vikings began to build a lead that would reach as many as eight points on Conor Klusendorf's second straight made free throw, his only two points of the game.
Lawrence would take a 39-33 lead into the break, capping a 13-6 run with a Siebert jumper before the horn.
The Sabre offense came back to life in the second half and tied the game at 41-41 before taking a one point lead. Veleke then hit a jumper at the 15:52 mark to make it 44-43 and the Sabres never trailed again the rest of the way.
Marian scored 21 points off 19 Lawrence turnovers, including 15 in the second half alone. The Sabres also led in rebounding margin, 42-36, which contributed to an 11-2 edge in second chance points.
The perimeter defense showed improvement, limiting the Vikings to just 8-of-20 from three-point range after allowing opponents to shoot 50 percent from downtown entering the game.
The Sabres will enjoy the holiday break and a full week off as they prepare for the Northern Athletics Conference opener against Edgewood College, Nov. 30. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. in Madison, Wis.
