Article

Comeback Kids

Mavericks overcome a pair of second half deficits in victories over North Dakota and South Dakota to extend their winning streak to 18 games.

by Dax Larson

Issue date: 1/30/07 Section: Mens Sports

The stage was set Saturday night at the Taylor Center. The top two teams in the North Central Conference were set to play. No. 5 Minnesota State was riding a 17-game winning streak, while No. 24 University of South Dakota had an 11-game streak of its own. 4,477 screaming fans packed the arena, making it the second-largest crowd in the facility's history. To no one's surprise the game was fast-paced, physical and, most of all, exciting. The Mavericks saw themselves on the winning end after a 13-point second half comeback that forced overtime. In overtime, MSU shined through to earn the 91-87 victory.

"Our guys gutted out another win," said Mavericks head coach Matt Margenthaler. "We've been in this situation before and our defense was 100 percent different in the second half. Our guys really stepped up."

When the top two teams in a conference face-off, it is usually a given the stars of the team will show up to play. This was true of Saturday night's match-up. For the Mavericks, (20-1 overall, 6-0 NCC) senior Tony Thomason had a career-high 23 points and was named NCC Co-Player of the Week. Fellow seniors Luke Anderson and Paris Kyles had 18. The Coyotes' (15-5 overall, 4-1 NCC) Eric Hall and Dylan Grimsley each poured in 22. Grimsley was also named NCC Co-Player of the Week.

When the stars show up for both teams the game is left to the X-factors to give a certain team the extra edge over the other. For the Mavericks, the two guys who gave them the extra push was sophomore Jake Morrow and junior Atila Santos.

"We know what we are going get out of Tony, Paris and Luke," Margenthaler said. "But our two key guys were Jake and Atila. I thought those two guys really stepped up and made some good shots and defensively they did a great job."

Before fouling out, Morrow had 16 points, seven rebounds and was a key part to the Mavericks' comeback. Morrow clearly had his best conference game of the season on both ends of the floor.

"It hurt us," Thomason said about Morrow fouling out. "He was playing some good defense and knocking down some good shots."

Santos finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Santos turned the corner in his MSU career by playing his most intense game of the season.

"People have to understand this is his first full year of college basketball," Margenthaler said. "He proved he's one of the better big men in the league."

"He got some big rebounds and big buckets towards the end," Thomason said. "He's playing great, starting to relax and play his game."

The Mavericks didn't have a lead from 11 minutes to play in the first half until 10 seconds into overtime. The only reason the Mavericks were able to reach overtime was by overcoming a 13-point second-half deficit. With 13 minutes to play the Mavericks were still down seven, but a 10-3 run over the next five minutes tied the game for MSU. Kyles contributed five points and an assist in the run. MSU and USD had seven ties during the final seven minutes of regulation. Thomason, Kyles and Anderson contributed 11 of the last 13 points for the Mavericks in regulation. Thomason hit the final shot of regulation to send the game into overtime. Thomason, Kyles and Santos took over the extra session by scoring all 14 points for MSU. Half of the points came from a 7-8 effort from the free throw line.

"(My confidence) is a 10," Thomason said. "Paris, Luke and the coaches have been behind me all the way, I couldn't ask for a better situation. Right now I am stepping up and [the shots] are falling."

Thursday's game was another thriller when the Mavericks faced North Dakota. MSU was down at halftime for the first time this season and trailed by 13 with only 12 minutes remaining in the game. But Anderson and the Mavericks were not about to let their winning streak end without a fight. Anderson contributed eight of his 23 points in a 15-5 run by MSU to get within three points with eight minutes to play. With the game tied 65-65 and only 2:16 left, the Mavericks clamped down on defense and went 6-6 from the line to gain a 71-65 victory.

"I looked at the scoreboard when we were down 13 and I knew we were going to come back," Anderson said. "When we were tied, I knew we were going to win."

"We can't continue to put ourselves in a hole because eventually it is going to bite us in the butt," Margenthaler said. "We've done a great job of maintaining focus, composure and having confidence down the stretch."

Dax Larson is a Reporter staff writer