Northland 68, UW-Superior 66
SUPERIOR, Wis. (January 24, 2018) – The Yellowjackets face Northland for the second go-around this season, this time hosting at home. Shaq Coleman (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) would pour in 30 points, but the Lumberjacks would win in the final seconds.
Nate Kalien (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls) was able to drain a 3-pointer to open the game for the Yellowjackets, assisted by Vid Milenkovic (Zurich, Switzerland/DSB Belgrade, Serbia), while Coleman hit the layup to get out to a 5-0 start. It soon was 8-2 'Jackets as Kalien hit another three, this time assisted by Colton Williams (Columbia Heights, Minn. /Columbia Heights).
The Lumberjacks came back to tie the game at 12-12 at 11:49 of the half; Northland would then take a small lead, while Milenkovic and Coleman would get buckets to make it a 19-16 game in favor of the Lumberjacks. They would string together a few threes around the eight-minute mark, as Coleman and Mac Reykdal (Washburn, Wis./Washburn) got the 'Jackets to 21 after a two and three.
Coleman and Scott would add a few more baskets for the Yellowjackets in the final minutes of the half, but Superior was down 39-29.
Kalien was early on the attack once again, dropping the free throw line jumper on an inbound pass from Williams. Milenkovic then hit the layup to make it 41-33 Lumberjacks. Williams would score five straight in the following minutes, getting the and-one layup and another layup around the 16:37 mark.
Coleman added a and-one layup of his own at 13:41 of the second, to get the 'Jacket to within eight at 49-41, followed by a Reykdal 3-pointer assisted by Kalien. Williams would then score on the fast break to make it a six-point Northland lead. Milenkovic would post up at nine minutes and get turn around hook to give Superior 51 points, and Coleman would get a tough layup a while later to get 53.
Superior got within striking distance at 3:17 remaining when Coleman got his 23 point of the night to make it 62-59 Lumberjacks, but Northland would add another bucket on the following possession. Coleman hit two free throws thereafter to get the game back to three points, he then hit one more free throw to get it down to two.
A key block from Milenkovic with 29.4 remaining would force a Northland shot clock violation and the Yellowjackets down by just two points. Coleman played the hero with 16.2 remaining, slipping by the defense for the easy layup, tying at 66.
Northland's Harrison Lucas would get the ball on the low left block in the following possession, and would hit the left-handed hook with just one second remaining. Milenkovic would heave the ball 3/4 court, but no dice.
Along with Coleman's 30 points, shooting 12-of-18, he also grabbed seven rebounds. Williams was the only other 'Jacket to score in double-digits, getting 10, grabbing five boards, and adding one assists, block, and steal.
Three Lumberjacks scored in double-digits on the night.
Superior will look to bounce back this weekend, as they travel to Martin Luther for a matchup this Saturday, Jan. 27, at 3 p.m.
