SUPERIOR, Wis. – Senior Vid Milenkovic (Zurich, Switzerland/DSB Belgrade (Serbia)) scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds, leading a group of three players scoring in double figures as the UW-Superior men's basketball team topped Marian, 60-55, in the 10th-annual Merrill Thompson Classic at Mertz Mortorelli Gym Friday.
 
With the win, the Yellowjackets advance to the championship game against eighth-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday at 5 p.m. The Prairie Wolves were 78-56 winners over No. 12 St. John's in the first game of the day.
 
Seniors Mac Reykdal (Washburn, Wis./Washburn) and Allen Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo) chipped in 14 and 13 points respectively. The Yellowjackets overcame 52 percent shooting from Marian in the second half to earn their second consecutive season-opening victory. 
 
Tight throughout, neither team held a double-digit lead the entire night with seven tie scores and eight lead changes. The 'Jackets led by just three at 46-43 with 7:50 to play when Marian's Matt Shaw hit a 3-pointer from Scott Paulus. Senior Colton Williams (Columbia Heights, Minn./Columbia Heights) bulled his way inside and laid it in for a 48-43 lead with five minutes to play.
 
After DeAndre Ross knocked down a jumper and Milenkovic canned two free throws, Reykdal hit a 3-pointer to give UWS its largest lead of the game, 53-45, with 3:14 left. The 'Jackets held on from there.
 
Marian outshot the 'Jackets 46.2-40.8 percent and had 10 turnovers. Justin Wilson paced the Sabres with 14 points while Logan Hamilton and Ross had 13 apiece. 
 
UWS held a 36-38 rebounding edge and had nine assists on 20 baskets. Williams collected eight boards and freshman Mason Ackley (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) had six­.