LISLE, ILL. - Senior
Derek Lindert drilled the game-winning jumper with 0.7 seconds remaining as Marian University men's basketball (7-4, 4-1 NACC) rallied from down twelve in the second half to earn a 72-70 win over Benedictine.
- Marian started 7-for-7, including three three-pointers, to build an early 19-12 lead.
- The Sabres preceded to go scoreless for nearly six minutes. Senior Jazz Orozco ended the drought with a tip-in, helping Marian maintain its lead with nine minutes left in the first half.
- Benedictine claimed the lead late in the first, finishing the half on a 10-1 run to take a 39-33 advantage into the break.
- The Eagles kept up the pressure entering the second half, extending their lead to double figures. Senior Derek Lindert hit Marian's first two field goals of the half to help the Sabres stay in the game.
- Three straight shots in the paint from freshman Max Breitenbach helped trim the lead. Senior Alex Vassilakis followed with three straight field goals, but the deficit remained at seven.
- Freshman Marvin Haslett cut the lead to two with a jumper, but the Eagles responded with two consecutive three-pointers, including a four-point play that pushed their lead back to nine with four minutes remaining.
- After multiple stops, Vassilakis drilled his fourth three-pointer of the game to cut the lead to two with 1:49 remaining.
- With 40 seconds left, junior Andrew Ayeni's layup knotted the score at 70.
- On the other end, Benedictine's missed jumper gave Marian a chance to take the lead. Haslett's layup came up short, but bounced right to Lindert.
- Lindert's jumper with 0.7 seconds left gave Marian its first lead of the second half. Benedictine's final shot came up well short, and the Sabres escaped with a two-point win.
- The Sabres grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, translating into a 17-5 advantage in second-chance points.
- Marian recorded a season-high 12 steals, with Ayeni, Orozco, and Vassilakis each tallying two or more.
- Vassilakis posted his fifth double-figure rebounding effort of the season and is averaging 9.6 rebounds per game.
- Marian is off to a 4-1 start in conference play for the second straight season.and sits in third place in the NACC standings.
- Benedictine's Connor Glasgow and Noah Mason combined for 44 points and 13 rebounds.
- Today's game marked the 32nd all-time meeting between the Sabres and Eagles, with Benedictine leading the series 22-10.
- Marian has won three straight against Benedictine, with an average margin of victory of 4.3 points in those games.
 |
Senior Derek Lindert hit the game-winning shot for the Sabres, finishing with 11 points and five assists. |
 |
Senior Alex Vassilakis poured in a career-high 24 points with four three-pointers and added 13 rebounds. |
 |
Senior Jazz Orozco finished with a game-high four steals. |
|
|
Wednesday, January 7
De Pere, Wis.
7 p.m. |
