SF Battles to Overtime Win Over SAU on Senior Day
| Final | 1 | 2 | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spring Arbor (13-15, 6-12) | 35 | 54 | 11 | 100 |
|
Saint Francis (Ind.) (12-15, 7-11) | 40 | 49 | 13 | 102 |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) men's basketball battled its way to a 102-100 overtime victory over Spring Arbor University on Saturday, February 21, during Senior Day at the Hutzell Athletic Center.
Prior to tipoff, the SF Cougars honored its three seniors, Joe Reidy, AJ Branigan and Collin Siratei in a brief on-court ceremony.
Saint Francis outscored Spring Arbor in the first half, taking a 40-35 lead at the break. The two teams battled in the second half, with the score tied at 89 at the end of regulation. The SF Cougars executed down the stretch in overtime, outscoring SAU 13-11 to secure the two-point win.
The Cougars shot 52.2% (36-69) from the field and knocked down 14 three-pointers, including 60% three-point shooting in the second half. Marr Avance led with 27 points, five assists, and three steals. Malachi King added 22 points off the bench, while Karson Rogers controlled the paint with 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Braeden Messenger chipped in 16 points, connecting on five three-pointers.
With the victory, Saint Francis (12-15, 7-11 CL) secured a 7 seed in the Crossroads League tournament. Next up, the Cougars travel to compete against No. 2-seeded Indiana Wesleyan University on Wednesday, February 25.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The academic structure at Saint Francis offers seven pathways: Humanities, Faith and Liberal Arts; Allied Health; Creative Arts and Digital Media; Education, Human Services and Community Care; Leadership and Business; Nursing; and Sciences and Medical Studies. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis delivers workforce development healthcare programs in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Gas City, Indianapolis, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. A National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Five-Star Champion of Character institution, Saint Francis has 21 athletic programs boasting three individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
