DEERFIELD, Ill. --- Just 12 days after dropping a tough 80-78 contest to Trinity International University at the Sullivan Center on Jan. 16., the University of St. Francis men's basketball team made up for it on Saturday, continuing its road-warrior mentality with a 78-69 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over the Trojans. The Fighting Saints (11-9, 10-5 CCAC) have now won seven in a row on the road and are 7-1 in away contests this season.
Another strong performance from
Aitor Anabitarte fueled the victory. Last week's CCAC Player of the Week, Anabitarte posted his seventh double-double of the season (23 points, 12 rebounds) with 17 of his points coming in the second half when USF outscored TIU 45-37. He also led the Saints in assists (three) and blocked shots (two).
Anabitarte was not the only St. Francis player to author a double-double.
EJ Charles also gained the distinction with his 11 points and ten boards.
Rounding out the list of double-figure scorers was
Carter Fayhee with 16 markers.
Xavier Cooper led Trinity International (12-9, 7-6) with 18 points and five three-pointers.
A 19-2 St. Francis run that started late in the first half and extended just past two minutes into the second half turned a 30-24 deficit into a 33-32 edge at the stop and a 43-32 advantage with 17:49 remaining in the contest. Ten points from Anabitarte, including a pair of treys at the start of the second half, and another six from
Darius Wright, keyed the turnaround. Fayhee also hit three free throws at the end of the first half to give the Saints the one-point lead.
The Saints extended the lead to 52-37 with 13 minutes to go before Trinity International got back into the contest with its own run of 12 unanswered points during a four-minute stretch. That made it a 52-49 game with just over nine minutes left to play.
Head coach
Ryan Marks' club was quick to respond, answering with 14 of the next 17 points to go up 66-52 with seven minutes remaining. Three-pointers off the bench from
Ben Kreitz,
Jacob Karli and
Lewis McGlasson stretched the lead back out to double figures as did five more points from Fayhee.
The Saints finished the game with solid all-around shooting numbers, converting at a .500 clip overall (26-of-52), .421 from three-point range (8-of-19) and .750 at the foul line (18-of-24). Trinity International finished at .500 from the foul line (12-of-24). The Trojans were also out-boarded 36-19.
Notes: Anabitarte has now scored 20-or-more points three times this winter … His 12 rebounds were his second-highest total of the year … Charles' season-high 10 rebounds helped him secure his first double-double of the campaign … Saturday marked the third straight game that the Saints have shot 50 percent-or-better from the field … USF's eight three-pointers were its most since recording 11 versus Madonna University (Mich.) on Dec. 30 … The two teams combined for 45 fouls with USF's 23 being a season high … TIU's 19 rebounds were the fewest by a St. Francis opponent this year … The Saints continue on the road Wednesday night when they head to Chicago to face league leader Roosevelt University in a rematch of their Nov. 22 contest won by the Lakers, 80-78.
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