NEW ULM, Minn. — Despite four Sabercats finishing in double-digits on the night, Maranatha couldn't get the job done in the second half against Martin Luther.
The Knights, who led by 11 leading into halftime, quickly pulled away at the start of the second half, earning a 84-57 win over the Sabercats.
Chris Orsello led Maranatha on the night finishing with 14 points and Will Shultz followed behind, just one rebound short of a double-double, with 12 points and nine rebounds. Grant Brock led the boards by pulling in 12 rebounds, his career high.
OVERVIEW
- Result: Maranatha 57-84 Martin Luther
- Venue: MBU Gymnasium - Maranatha Baptist Univesity
- Location: Watertown, Wis.
- Attendance: 300
- Records: MBU (1-15), MLC (6-10)
STORY
The energy was high from the start, with the MBU gymnasium packed to the max with fans from both teams. A missed layup from Martin Luther led to Will Shultz scoring off the fast break to put Maranatha on the board first.
The battle intensified as the teams continued to drop point on each other, resulting in seven lead changes within the first six minutes of play.
But a series of Sabercat fouls sent Martin Luther to the line, where they converted 7-8 free-throws to help give them a 36-25 lead going into halftime.
At the start of the second half, Will Shultz was once again the first to get on the board, bringing the Sabercats deficit to just nine points. But Maranatha seemed to only lose steam from that point on, as game started to steadily slip from their grasp.
The Knights found their spark from behind the arc, knocking down eight shots from three-point range in the final 20-minutes. They would go on to finish of the Sabercats with an 84-57 victory.
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Maranatha Starters: 2- Cox (C), 10- Shank, 21- Brock, 24- Orsello, 30- Schultz
STATS
- C. Orsello: 14 PTS; 3 REB
- W. Shultz: 12 PTS; 9 REB
- G. Brock: 6 PTS; 12 REB*
- J. Hawley: 11 PTS
- B. Cox: 10 PTS
- Maranatha shot 41.4 percent from the field
- Martin Luther shot 47.8 percent from the field
- Last time: Martin Luther defeated the Sabercats 98-81 earlier this season on November 16, 2024
- Series: Martin Luther leads the series 13-4
*Career-High
OPPONENTS
- MLC competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference(NCAA Dlll)
- MLC finished the 23'-24' season with a record of 5-20
NEXT
The Sabercats travel to Dubuque, Iowa for a conference match-up against Emmaus on Friday at 4 P.M. Central. Follow at mbusabercats.com/schedule.
