BISMARCK, N.D. - Jaycob Velasco set the pace tonight for the offense and the University of Mary Men's Basketball team endured a hot second half from the University of Minnesota Duluth to hold on for a 75-71 victory to conclude Alumni Weekend.
 
U-Mary had the hot hand in the first half, but not before the Bulldogs jumped out to an 11-6 lead by the first media break. The Marauders employed a hardy defense and knotted the score at 17 apiece by the second media break.
 
The Marauder offense started kicking into gear, led by 15 first-half points from Velasco, as they pulled away from Minnesota Duluth by the third break of the half, 27-21. Down the stretch, the Marauders scored 15 of the next 19 points in the game and held a commanding 42-25 lead going into halftime.
 
The Alumni were introduced at the half and the Marauder's offense started to slow a bit coming out of the intermission. Though U-Mary still held a 52-40 lead by the first media break of the second half, the Bulldogs offense got into gear and rallied off a 19-4 run to surge ahead by the second break, 59-56.
 
Both teams traded baskets back-and-forth until the final media break, and it was the last three minutes of the game that turned into the most exciting.
 
Coming off a 68-68 tie, Marquealis Edwards took a pass from Velasco and fired off a quick three-pointer with 2:22 remaining to put U-Mary ahead, 71-68. The Bulldogs responded and notched a quick layup 25 seconds later to keep pace with the Marauders, 71-70.
 
After a sequence of a missed shot, an offensive rebound, and another missed shot from U-Mary, the Bulldogs had possession with less than a minute to go. Minnesota Duluth's leading scorer, Brett Ervin, got the ball with about 15 seconds left on the game clock, but Velasco forced the contested shot and the Marauders last touched the resulting loose ball as it sailed out of bounds.
 
Coming off the inbound, Brandon Pineda tried a isolation play on Germain Decoste, but Velasco came in to help Decoste and the two forced a bad pass that bounced out of play, giving U-Mary possession with about eight seconds left on the clock.
 
The Marauders weren't in the bonus yet so after two quick fouls from Minnesota Duluth, Damonta Henry went to the line to build on U-Mary's lead. He sank both attempts and the Marauders wisely fouled the Bulldogs on the ensuing inbound play, sending Taylor Lavery to the line.
 
Lavery made the first attempt but was forced to miss the second and Isaac Lindquist was there to snag the rebound and draw the foul. Lindquist went to the line with the Marauders up 73-71 with three seconds left on the clock and subsequently iced the game with his two free throw attempts, giving U-Mary a 75-71 victory over the Bulldogs.
 
Velasco finished the game with 24 points, a season high, on 10-for-15 shooting from the field. He also dished out three assists in 21 minutes as he was billed off the bench to start the game.
 
Edwards continued his hot streak with 14 points, his third game in a row with at least double-digit points, on 6-for-11 shooting from the floor. He also earned six assists and grabbed four rebounds in his 34 minutes on the court.
 
Decoste was the third Marauder to reached double figures in points with 11 on 4-for-7 shooting from the field. He provided the interior presence and ended up with six rebounds in 37 minutes played on the night.
 
Chris Mason got the start tonight as well and was a force in every aspect of the game as he finished with five points, five rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal in 35 minutes of action.
 
Luke Scott came off the bench for U-Mary and provided a hand in all aspects as he finished with two points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 27 minutes of action.
 
Lindquist also answered the call from the bench and finished with nine points and four rebounds in 13 minutes on the floor.
 
The Marauders (6-12, 4-10 NSIC) will stay in Bismarck next week when they take on Augustana College on Friday, January 30, and Wayne State College on Saturday, January 31.
 
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