SAINT PAUL, Minn.: Northwestern's Anderson Bazile Jr. scored a game-high 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including eight 3-pointers, as the UMAC-leading Eagles defeated the UW-Superior men's basketball team, 89-66, at the Ericksen Center Wednesday.
Three other Eagles landed in double figures as they moved to 16-6 overall and 12-1 in the league play. UWS got 16 from
Mac Reykdal (Washburn, Wis./Washburn), a career-high 14 from
John Pioro (Proctor, Minn./Proctor) and 13 from
Montroy Scott (Fridley, Minn./Columbia Heights) in the loss that dropped the Yellowjackets to 6-17 and 4-10.
The 'Jackets scored the game's first five points, but UNW overcame a slow start to tie the game, 10-10, five-and-a-half minutes in.
Carter Brown (Eau Claire, Wis. /Regis Catholic) knocked down a free throw a minute later to give his team an 11-10 advantage but it was the last lead Superior enjoyed for the game. From there, the Eagles engineered a 13-3 run to take control. Bazile hit three treys in the spurt, which gave UNW a 23-14 edge with 10:05 left in the first half.
Pioro stopped the stretch with a layup on the next possession and Reykdal followed with a triple to cut the deficit to 23-19 with 9:32 left.
The lead grew back to seven on two different occasions, before a Pioro 3-pointer got the 'Jackets to with four again at 30-26 with 5:36 until halftime. The Eagles then put together a 16-2 run to close the half and give themselves breathing room.
Scott opened the second half with a layup as Superior trailed, 46-30. The 'Jackets, though, were unable to close the gap further the rest of the night. Northwestern led by as many as 31 points twice in the final 20 minutes, cruising to the victory.
The Eagles outrebounded UWS, 43-32, for the game, and shot over 47 percent from distance, making 15-of-34 attempts. Caleb Hageman scored 13 points, Noah Alm 12 and Brady Peterson 11 for the Eagles.
Superior closes its regular-season home schedule Saturday, hosting Bethany Lutheran at 3 p.m., at Mertz Mortorelli Gym. Superior will also honor its lone senior – Scott – prior to the contest.
