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FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Senior
Alexis Becker's 21 points and a stingy interior defense led the Marian University women's basketball team to a 67-49 victory over visiting MSOE, handing the Raiders their first Northern Athletics Conference loss of the 2011-12 campaign inside Sadoff Gymnasium this afternoon, Dec. 10.
The Sabres led wire-to-wire and, for the most part, shut down MSOE leading scorer Carol Cayo in earning the win. Marian shot 44.7 (21-for-47) percent in the game, knocked down eight three's and converted 17 points off 22 MSOE turnovers in the win.
Marian improves to 6-3 overall, 3-3 in the NAC with the win, while MSOE falls to 6-2 (4-1 NAC) with the loss.
The Raiders cut the deficit to a mere 10 points at 44-34 with 10:45 remaining in the game, but the Sabres went on an ensuing 9-2 run to deny MSOE the chance at a comeback. A 20-4 run in the first half paced the Sabres to an 18-point advantage at 28-10 with 3:41 remaining until halftime. They built that lead to as many as 23 points late in the game on the way to victory.
Becker went 5-for-7 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the charity stripe in her seventh straight double-digit performance. She added seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block as well.
Sarah Albert scored nine points, all of them coming on three triples in the first half.
Bianca Whittington fell one point shy of reaching double figures as well, knocking down 3-of-4 three's.
The NAC's leading scorer and rebounder, Cayo, managed a double-double, but it was a hard-fought one at that. Her 12 points came on just 4-of-6 shooting and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. She added 11 boards and committed five turnovers in the loss. The Sabre interior defense denied countless entry passes, many of them resulting in what amounted to 22 MSOE turnovers.
The Sabres jumped out to a comfortable, 28-16, lead at halftime, using a 20-4 run in the midst of it to gain as much as an 18-point advantage in the first half. Marian hit five three's, including three from Albert, who led all scorers with nine first half points. MSOE went 0-for-6 from behind the arc. The Sabres turned 10 first half MSOE turnovers into eight points.
Marian's bench out-scored the Raiders' bench 20-15, in large part to the play of
Amelia Mirsberger and
Alyssa Pyscher. Mirsberger turned in five points and eight rebounds, while Psycher chipped in seven points and six boards.
The Sabres will look to climb above the .500 mark in conference play when they take on Alverno on the road, Dec. 19, in Milwaukee. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
