Jan 26, 2011
MADISON, Wis. - The Edgewood College men's basketball team earned a big advantage at the free throw line and five Eagles scored in double figures in a 78-62 victory over Marian University on Coaches vs. Cancer night at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Eagles and Sabres made the same number of field goals, but Edgewood College's 21-5 advantage at the free throw line gave head coach Todd Adrian a victory on his 40th birthday.
Edgewood College (12-6, 8-2 NAC) opened the game with a 22-7 run and led by double digits for a majority of the first half. Junior Derek Nkemnji scored seven of his team's first nine points, while senior Jeff Barczak came off the bench to score four points during the run. The Eagles shot 53.8 percent (14-for-26) in the first half and held a 39-26 lead.
Marian University (2-17, 0-11 NAC) heated up in the second half. After back-to-back baskets by Kent Faurote and Barczak put the Eagles up 49-32, the Sabres found their shooting touch. Marian Unviersity made 10 of their next 11 shots, cutting the Eagles' lead all the way down to 62-56 on a steal and layup by Jeff Harris. Sophomore Cashton Craig answered with back-to-back jump shots and Ben Wisniewski followed with three free throws a three-point basket sandwiched around a pair of Faurote free throws to give the Eagles a comfortable 74-58 lead with 3:22 left to play.
It was a good shooting night with both teams making 50 percent or better of their attempts. The Eagles went 27-for-53 from the field (50.9 percent) while Marian University recovered from a tough first half to shoot 66.7 percent in the second half and finish at a nearly identical 27-for-54 (50 percent). Edgewood College went 21-for-24 (87.5 percent) from the free throw line, compared to just 5-for-11 (45.5 percent) for the Sabres. The Eagles also owned a commanding 40-19 advantage in rebounding.
Five Eagles scored in double figures for the second time this season, led by Craig and Faurote with 16 points apiece. Faurote went 10-for-10 from the free throw line, marking the fifth time in school history a player with at least 10 free throw attempts has made them all (most recently by John Fahey who went 12-for-12 in 2007-08). Faurote also snared a game-high eight rebounds. Wisniewski tallied 15 points including a pair of three-point baskets. Barczak finished with 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting and Nkemnji posted 11 points.
Harris went 7-for-10 from the field to lead Marian University with 16 points. Sam Forkert added 12 points, with Donnahugh Brown scoring 11. Colin Lohenry was the fourth Sabre in double figures putting up 10 points and grabbing a team-high six rebounds.
The Eagles sit firmly in second place in the Northern Athletics Conference North Division, three games behind Concordia University Wisconsin in first place and 2.5 games ahead of Lakeland College in third place. Edgewood College will travel across the Halas-Lombardi line on Saturday for a game at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill. at 4:15 p.m.