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Mustangs Go Down in Double-Overtime
Battling a spate of injuries and sickness much like teams across the state this winter, Marquette entered tonight’s game at 20-2 and state-ranked Parkway South not at full strength (the Mustangs were not alone as the Patriots had been missing starting center Phil Atkins out with a broken bone in his foot) but ready to challenge the home team. Challenge accomplished but goal not as the Patriots out-lasted the Mustangs in a multi-overtime game reminiscent of 2005’s quadruple-OT match-up, this time downing their guests 69-62 in only two extra sessions.
The Mustang defensive game plan seemed to be working efficiently early. Even given open looks, the Patriots were finding their outstanding shooting team not hitting at their usual clip. With only being able to muster eight points in the quarter, one would think Marquette might be able to build quite a cushion. The Mustangs were able to hit on 5/7 shots in the opening quarter (including 3/3 from both inside and out by senior Andy Rosburg), but seven turnovers in 13 possessions kept the visitors down as they were only able to tally a dozen in leading by four at the break, 12-8. The second was almost a duplicate of the first. Will Jones opened up scoring (after another Mustang ballhandling miscue) for his team with a tough turnaround jumper from 12 feet out to further the lead. However, the next four trips down the floor featured a lone shot but three more turnovers. Six more turnovers befell MHS in the period with five of them coming on the first six trips. Finally, Eric Phillips nailed a baseline jumper, Chad Haley (back from a week’s bout with the flu) hit a short jumper and Andy Rosburg closed out the period by hitting his team’s last three makes of the half. Trailing 20-14 the Patriots finally broke out with consecutive treys. But even with the aforementioned poor possession of the basketball by Marquette, South was able to only keep it close trailing 24-20 at the break. The third quarter featured probably the best-played basketball of the game. By cutting down their turnovers, Marquette was finally starting to give itself a chance on the offensive end. While the Mustangs weren’t hitting at their earlier clip from the field, they were able to put up 11 shots in the stanza. A key note of the quarter though came at about the 2:00 mark in the third. Chad Haley stepped to the line to attempt his team’s FIRST two free throws of the game. This inability to get to the line in comparison to the Patriots would become the statistic of the game by the final horn. The final 8:00 of regulation was a combination of two bad elements on the offensive end for MHS. Poor shooting (3/16 from the field) and turnovers almost doomed the night. If not for an outstanding defensive effort (South averages over 65 points per game and were coming off a 70+ point night at Kirkwood on Friday), Marquette would not have been in the game. With just under ten seconds to play and trailing by two and not having scored seven straight trips, the Mustangs saved themselves. An offensive board by Chris Rosehill off a missed trey was followed up by a set play where Chad Haley was able to get to the bucket and miss but grab his own board and lay it in with just under two seconds to play. A desperation heave by South went in and out from just past mid-court and the game went to overtime tied at 42-42. South hit on a trey to start the first extra session and Ky McKeon was able to answer with a couple of free throws. Haley struck again with consecutive jumpers in the lane to give his team a two-point lead before South again re-took the advantage. Down three with just under :20 to play in this session, Haley hit from above the top of the key to tie the game a la his late-game performance at Howell. Another South attempt would not find its way and the game headed to double OT tied at 53-all. The Mustangs led it early off conversions from Haley and McKeon but the war of attrition at the free throw line took its toll. In the final two sessions of overtime spanning eight minutes of play, South went to the line 21 times to the Mustangs’ four (32 attempts to MHS’ nine for the entire game). After grabbing an early lead, Marquette lost that advantage via the South charity stripe. With a turnover on a possession that could have tied the game the wheels came off. An intentional foul called on a one-on-one situation at the South basket and a technical foul a minute or so later in the game on the Mustang head coach led to the final 69-62 score. Key stats in the game included the aforementioned free throw disparity, a 25-19 advantage on field goals made by the Mustangs but all combined with 23 Mustang turnovers led to a successful defense of the home court by the Patriots. The Mustangs jump right back into the fray tomorrow night (February 6) when they travel to Mehlville for a make-up date from last Friday’s snow storm. Tip-off is set for 7pm. Leading Scorers: Chad Haley-20, Andy Rosburg-18, Ky McKeon-9. Leading Rebounders: Rosburg-7, McKeon-6. Leading Assists: Haley-5, Eric Phillips-4, Chris Rosehill-4. For complete stats-click HERE
Posted by: marquettemustangs
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