EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Macalester College men's basketball team held off a late charge to defeat UW-Eau Claire, 90-83 in a non-conference game Monday night at the Sonnentag Event Center. The win is the first of the season for the Scots, who are now 1-1. The Blugolds drop to 1-1.
In the first half, Macalester took control with a late 11-3 run to close out the half and take a 47-37 into the break. Sophomore guard
Owen Walther (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School) drained a pair of threes and senior guard
Kaden Holdbrook (Palo Alto, Calif./Gunn) made a three-pointer in the run, with Holdbrook scoring a team-best 11 points in the first half. UW-Eau Claire shot 56.0 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes compared to 47.4 percent for the Scots.
A three from sophomore guard
Noah Hamburge (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) and five points by Holdbrook helped Macalester open the second half with an 11-0 run for a 58-37 advantage with 17:14 remaining. The Blugolds were able to cut the deficit to 13, only to have the Scots reel off a 16-4 spree to lead, 74-49. First year forward
Salifou Camara (St. Cloud, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral) scored seven points in the run and capped it with a three-pointer.
The lead was still 25 points, 81-56 with 6:35 remaining when UW-Eau Claire mounted a furious comeback. Macalester turned the ball over five times and went 0-fo-5 from the field and 3-of-6 from the free throw line, as the Blugolds went on a torrid 25-3 run to make it a three-point game, 84-81 with 33 seconds left. Junior guard
Joaquin Aguillon (San Rafael, Calif./The Branson School) and Walther each made a pair of free throws down the stretch, with first year forward
Luke Thompson (Waxhaw, N.C./Covenant Day School) adding a layup, as the Scots closed out the win with a 6-2 run.
Macalester forced 20 Blugold turnovers and registered 15 steals in the game, holding a 27-19 edge in points off turnovers. Holdbrook hit five threes and was 6-of-10 from the field en route to 19 points, five assists and three steals. Camara made six of his seven shots from the field to finish with 15 points, while Hamburge made four threes en route to 14 points and five rebounds. Thompson made it four Scots in double-figures with 12 points and four boards. Aguillon had a solid all-around game with six points, five rebounds, eight assists and four steals, while junior guard
Logan Davis (Kensington, Md./Bethesda Chevy Chase) had seven points and a team-best six boards. Tyler Haney led UW-Eau Claire with 22 points.
Macalester plays an exhibition game at former MIAC foe St. Thomas on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The game, which counts for the Tommies, begins at 7:00 p.m. at Lee and Penny Anderson Arena.
