MADISON, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University men's basketball team opened up the Northern Athletics Conference slate with an 81-72 road defeat to host Edgewood College as the Eagles led from start-to-finish at the Edgedome this evening, Nov. 30.

The Eagles were led with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds from pre-season All-American selection, Kent Faurote. The senior went 9-of-14 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the win. The Sabres were led by Sam Koslowski, Jeff Harris and Cody Veleke, who tallied 17 points apiece. Freshman Mike Keller also added 12 points to give the Sabres four in double figures.

The Eagles improve to a perfect 6-0 with the win with a 1-0 mark in conference play. Meanwhile, the Sabres fall to 2-3 (0-1 NAC).

Edgewood shot 53.8 percent from the field in each half, going 14-for-26 in both stanzas, while adding a 19-for-26 effort from the charity stripe en route to the fairly convincing win. The Eagles led by as many as 17 points in the first half before taking a 12-point, 39-27, advantage into the break.

A Charles Ruffing layup at the 8:20 mark cut the Sabres' deficit to 58-53, but the Eagles would respond with eight straight points capped by a Justin Williams jumper to push the lead back to 13.

With just two minutes left in the game, the Edgewood lead was trimmed to single digits once again, 77-69, after Harris drained a three-pointer. But a Jake Guziewski three proved as a timely answer that the Eagles were just too much to overcome on this night.

After posting an 11-for-31 (35.5 percent) effort from the field in the first half, the Sabres responded by going 17-for-32 (53.1 percent) in the second half. The Sabres' bench outscored Edgewood, 23-15, led by Koslowski's 17 on 7-of-10 shooting.

Marian will return to action this Saturday, December 3, as it travels to Rockford to take on the Regents in a 4:15 p.m. start.