Postgame Interview

FOND DU LAC, Wisconsin (SabreAthletics.com) – The Marian University women's basketball team matched its best start in school history after jumping out to a 27-1 lead and then cruising to an 80-52 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win over Concordia University Chicago inside Sadoff Gymnasium, Saturday, Dec. 13.

Marian (7-0, 4-0 NACC) held CUC (4-3, 3-2 NACC) to just 16 percent from the field in the first half and under 30 percent shooting for the game on the way to the win.

Sophomore Nicole Paulus led all scorers with a season-high 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including 4-for-10 from three-point range. Senior Sarah Olewinski added 11 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists, while senior Amelia Mirsberger chipped in 10 points for the Sabres, who shot just 35.5 percent (22-for-62) from the field with a 26-for-36 performance at the free throw line.

Marian displayed its usual high-pressure effort at both ends of the floor to start the game and it forced the Cougars into bad shot after bad shot and 18 first-half turnovers. The direct result was just 1 point in the first 13-plus minutes of the game and it never got close.

The Sabres took a 47-14 lead into halftime, but not a single player had reached double figures scoring, proving how balanced an offensive effort it really was. Eleven players reached the scoring column for Marian in the first 20 minutes, led by Olewinski, who registered 9 points in 10 first-half minutes and Paulus, who had 8 points in 8 minutes.

The second half was a much different story as CUC managed a 41.7 percent shooting half, while holding the Sabres to just 24.1 percent, but the damage had been done by the 33-point lead built up by the Blue and White over the first 20 minutes.

Marian forced 28 CUC turnovers when it was all said and done, resulting in 17 points. The Sabres are forcing opponents into 28.4 turnovers per game this season, including 29.8 during conference play.

With seven games in the books and no signs of wavering, it appears the 2014-15 version of Marian women's basketball is for real. The Sabres lead the NACC in points per game (72.4), scoring defense (50.1), three's made per game (9.4) and steals per game (14.0).

Marian will have a difficult test when it travels to perennial NACC contender Wisconsin Lutheran (3-3, 3-1 NACC) this Tuesday, Dec. 16. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.