Notables
-First win over the Blugolds in 18 tries
-First road win over a WIAC school since November of 2008
-Saints shoot 37% from beyond the arc
-Both teams had five players score in double-figures
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (
csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica men's basketball team took down Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opponent University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 79-77 Saturday afternoon at the Reif Gymnasium.
How It Happened
The Saints met their match with the Blugolds of Eau Claire (4-2) as they held a one point lead after the first six minutes of the game.
Sam Thompson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) hit two three-pointers to propel CSS into the lead. St. Scholastica continued to attack from beyond the arc with
Collin Anderson (Eagan, Minn./Eagan HS) and
Brandon Newman (Barnum, Minn./Barnum HS) hitting shots to extend the lead to nine with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The Blugolds then went on a 10-2 run to cut the Saints' lead down to just one. CSS, however, held the lead and went into halftime up 45-41.
Eau Claire went on a 5-0 run to start the second half to take the lead behind four points from Ben Widdes. Much of the second half was back and forth between the Saints and Blugolds with neither team taking more than a four-point lead in the final 10 minutes. Back-to-back layups from
Quinn Fischer (Esko, Minn./Esko HS) and Newman gave the Saints a four-point lead with a minute to play. The Blugolds would get bucket on the other end to cut it to two with 50 seconds left.
Anderson then would get a look at 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and the ball would go in the hoop, but not before it hit the shot clock, which gave the ball back to Eau Claire with 30 seconds left.
The Blugolds would get two shots up in the final 30 seconds, including a game-winning 3-point attempt as time expired that would be off the mark as the Saints held on for the 79-77 victory.
Top Performers
Newman led the Saints with 24 points and seven rebounds. Thompson added three three-pointers to amass 13 points. Fischer finished with 12 points, Anderson 11 points and
Connor Gray (Superior, Wis./Superior HS) with 10 points.
Cole Rabedeaux led Eau Claire with 15 points.
Up Next
The Saints (2-3) begins Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) play against UW-Superior in a doubleheader with the woman's team Wednesday evening at the Reif. The men play at 7:15 p.m.
