ST. PAUL, Minn. – Coming off an 0-2 weekend in Nebraska and playing without two starting upper classmen, it was fair to wonder what Saturday's version of the University of Northwestern Men's Basketball team would look like. Head Coach
Tim Grosz started two freshmen and two sophomores alongside senior
Kelton Vincent (Volga, S.D./Sioux Valley), and early on, the young Eagles were in a fight with Maranatha Baptist University. But a strong finish to the first half ignited what turned out to be a blowout, 108-60 victory in the Ericksen Center.
Northwestern struggled to get good shots early on and trailed 9-4 early, getting baskets from sophomore
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) and sophomore
Caden Stevens (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista). Freshman
Lewis Wolbert (Milaca, Minn./Milaca) hit a turnaround jumper to pull within three, then sophomore
Soren Anderson (Perham, Minn./Perham) scored UNW's next seven points to draw even at 13. Maranatha retook the lead, but the masked man,
Noah Deedrick (Rochester, Minn./Century), checked in and drilled a three-pointer to put the Eagles on top for the first time. A Greene layup, a three-point play from freshman
Noah Frazell (Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock) and four more Stevens points gave Northwestern a four-point edge at 25-21. The Sabercats scored the next basket to trim the deficit to two, but it was all UNW from that point on. Stevens and Frazell each scored 10 more points in the first half and
AJ Greene (Roseville, Minn./Concordia Academy) five, as the home team closed out the opening 20 minutes on a 25-0 run to take a 50-23 lead into the locker room.
The Eagles didn't take their foot off the gas as the second half began, either. Greene opened the scoring with a three and added an and-one moments later, while Stevens, Anderson and Wolbert continued to score in the paint. A layup by
Mateo Cortes Weiss (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico/Minnehaha Academy) was followed up by five Deedrick points and a triple from Vincent as Northwestern extended its lead to 85-39.
Jacob Hoefs (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista),
Lopemi Omole (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert Christian) and
Drew Beckman (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) all scored their first career points in the closing minutes as UNW wrapped up a dominant, 108-60 win in front of its home fans.
The Eagles shot the lights out, hitting 59.5% from the field, 45.5% from three and 83.3% from the free throw line. They also out-scored MBU 56-24 in the paint and 26-9 off turnovers (of which they forced 22), while winning the rebounding battle, 41-23. Stevens was dominant in his first start, pouring in 26 points (11-15 FG) while picking up two blocks and two steals. Frazell was tremendous as well off the bench, recording his first career double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Greene scored 17 points and logged three steals, while Anderson finished with 11 points, five boards and five assists. In just 11 minutes, Cortes Weiss made four of five shots, tallying nine points and four rebounds. Wolbert and Deedrick each scored eight points, with the latter adding four rebounds.
Northwestern's three-game homestand will continue Wednesday night as they welcome UW-Eau Claire to the Ericksen Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM.
