ST. PAUL, Minn. – Sophomore guard
Caleb Williams (Wild Rose, Wis./Wild Rose) poured in a career-high 29 points, as the Macalester College men's basketball team defeated the University of Minnesota Morris, 89-77 in a non-conference game Thursday night in the Leonard Center. The Scots remain unbeaten at 3-0 on the season, while the Cougars even their record at 1-1.
The first half remained close until Macalester used a 12-4 run consisting of two three-pointers by Williams, a three from first year guard
Coby Gold (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver) and a conventional three-point play by first year forward
Badou Ba (Dakar,Senegal/Williston Northampton) to take a 25-17 lead midway through the first half. Minnesota Morris answered with 10 straight points to briefly lead, 31-29. The adversity was short-lived, as the Scots closed out the first half with an 18-3 spree, capped by a three-pointer from junior guard
Ahad Anjum (Karachi, Pakistan/American School of Dubai), for a 47-34 halftime lead.
The offense continued to hum in the second half, with the Scots pushing the lead to 22, 62-40 with 14:40 remaining. A three-pointer from senior guard
Eric Sathy (Cupertino, Calif./Homestead) increased the advantage to 70-46 with 11:49 on the clock. The Cougars did not fade due in large part to Dillon Haider, who drained three straight from beyond the arc to pull UM Morris to within 13, 70-57 with 8:39 left to play. Haider's three free throws at the 3:24 mark cut the deficit to 11, 81-70, but that's as close as the Cougars would get, as Macalester got a couple baskets from senior center
Shane Anderson (Fargo, N.D./Davies) down the stretch to close out the win, 89-77.
The Scots shot 53.8 percent from the field in the second half and an even 50.0 percent for the game. Defense was a factor as well, with Macalester registering 15 steals and scoring 27 points off of 19 Cougar turnovers. Sathy led the way defensively with five steals to go with 10 points. Williams was 10-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, en route to 29 points. Gold finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four steals and four assists, while first year guard
Robert Grace IV (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School) added 13 points and three assists. Haider finished with 23 points to pace the Cougars.
Next up for the Scots is a non-league game at North Central University on Saturday, Nov. 13. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. in Minneapolis.
