St. Cloud State
5-5,2-2NSIC
University of Mary
3-6,2-2NSIC
Men's basketball squelches Marauders 83-78
12/10/2021 7:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Caleb Donaldson scores season-high 31 points in the win
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The St. Cloud State University men's basketball team is back to its high scoring and winning ways. The Huskies improved to 5-5 on the year and 2-2 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play Friday night, earning a 83-78 win over the University of Mary. Caleb Donaldson (Bloomington, Ill. / Bloomington) led St. Cloud State in scoring, tallying 31 points on 12-13 shooting.
GAME SUMMARY
In a dramatic turn of events, it took the Huskies and Marauders two full minutes to score any points in the game. When St. Cloud State did figure things out, though, the team was hard to stop. The Huskies closed the first half with an 11-2 run, allowing them to carry a 43-33 lead into the locker room at half. Caleb Donaldson (Bloomington, Ill. / Bloomington) and Anthony Roberts (Chicago, Ill. / Oak Park) played a large role in the double-digit halftime lead, as they scored a combined 29 of St. Cloud State's 43 first half points. Donaldson led the way with 17, while Roberts tallied 12 points and seven rebounds in the opening 20 minutes of play.
The Huskies continued scoring early in the second half, but after the 10 minute mark, the Marauders figured out how to neutralize St. Cloud State's top scorers: Donaldson and Roberts. Josh Tomasi (Melbourne, Australia / Box Hill) initially served as a huge offensive and defensive weapon, racking up nine points and multiple rebounds early in the half. However, Mary made some defensive adjustments and started getting physical, allowing the Marauders to whittle the Huskies lead to 64-61.
The game would remain tense for the final 10 minutes, as Mary continued to chase St. Cloud State well into the final seconds. In the end, it came down to free throws and no three defense. The Huskies executed both to perfect, as Ryan Bagley (Pocatello, Idaho / Burley) and Roberts drained their free throws to in the final seconds to secure the 83-78 win for St. Cloud State.
TOP HUSKIES
- Caleb Donaldson (Bloomington, Ill. / Bloomington) came as close to perfection as one can possibly get. The junior guard scored a season-high 31 points on 12-13 shooting, including a 3-3 mark from beyond the arc. Donaldson also tallied four assists in the victory.
- Anthony Roberts (Chicago, Ill. / Oak Park) recorded his third double-double of the season, closing the game with 20 points and a team-leading 11 rebounds. Roberts added two steals to his stat line and shot 6-12 (.500) from the floor.
- Josh Tomasi (Melbourne, Australia / Box Hill) and Ryan Bagley (Pocatello, Idaho / Burley) both scored in double-digits, closing the game with 11 and 10 points respectively.
UP NEXT
St. Cloud State will play its final home game of the 2021 calendar year, as the Huskies host Minot State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Men's Basketball, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
