November 10, 2022 | by Taylor Pill

LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- It started out as a close game but Knox College pulled away late, as Maranatha took a 60-78 loss in their 2022-23 home opener.

Caleb Moultrie led the offensive efforts with a 23-point night, and the Sabercats will look to regroup before facing NACC mainstays Rockford at home on Saturday.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 60-78 Knox
• Event: Home Opener
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University - Gymnasium
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 341
• Records: MBU (0-2), KC (1-0)

STORY

Noah Jensen led a spirited and up-tempo offense to open the first half, as the sophomore would go on to hit double digits before the halftime horn. Coach Rob Fuller played 11 men in the first half, and each one shared the load to stay close throughout the opening act.

Caleb Moultrie and Josh Davis both hit shots from beyond the arc to generate some noise from the already rowdy gymnasium but the Sabercats struggled to find their range, shooting just 24 percent from the field and 18 percent from downtown.

The Sabercats were creating the looks, but the rim just seemed a little bigger.

Going into the halftime break, though, the Sabercats only trailed 27-31.

Knox seemed to shake the rust off, as they settled into a rhythm once the first half was over. The Prairie Fire quickly built a 20-point lead and kept a tight grip on it, holding off any real hope of a Sabercat comeback.

The final horn brought a disappointing end by way of result, but the Sabercats had depth, moments, and a start to build on in the early weeks of the season.

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Maranatha Starters: 0- Woodward, 15- Davis, 21- Moultrie, 24- Herbster, 34- Jensen

STATS

• Box Score
• Last time: Maranatha beat Knox College 72-67 on Nov. 21, 2019
• Series: Maranatha currently trails the all-time series against Knox 1-2

OPPONENTS

• Knox College competes in the Midwest Conference (NCAA-Dlll)
• Knox College finished last season with an 8-16 record

NEXT

The Sabercats stay in Watertown, Wisconsin to take on Rockford University on Saturday at 4 p.m. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.