Marquette Academy shook off a slow start and pulled away for a 44-31, rock-fight conference win over Roanoke-Benson on Friday night at Bader Gym in Ottawa.

The game opened as a back-and-forth grind, with the teams tied 6-6 after the first quarter. Marquette found its offensive rhythm in the second quarter and never gave up control, outscoring the Rockets 38-25 the rest of the way.

Marquette head coach Todd Hopkins said he believed his team gave a good effort and knew Roanoke-Benson wasn’t a team they should sleep on.

“You have to give them credit. They don’t go away,” Hopkins said. “Regardless of their record, you look at all their scores, and they play close games. It’s because they play hard and play good defense.”

“It was an old-fashioned game tonight, and we were able to hang on there at the end.”

Hopkins said he didn’t adjust the game plan much as the game went on, but made sure to emphasize rebounding after the first half.

“We didn’t do a very good job rebounding in the first half, and that was something we talked about,” Marquette coach Todd Hopkins said. “The second half, we were better on the boards, took care of the ball and were a little more aggressive.”

Marquette totaled 13 points in the second quarter and added 25 more in the second half while holding Roanoke-Benson to 17 points after halftime.

Sophomore center Luke McCullough anchored the Cru defensively and in the paint, finishing with seven points, eight rebounds, one assist and six blocks.

Alec Novotney, who returned to the lineup two weeks ago after beginning the season sidelined by injury, led in scoring with 18 points and added two rebounds.

Novotney said he’s been excited to play since returning, with a physical game like this bringing out his competitive side. Novotney also praised McCullough’s presence in the paint, emphasizing how his ability to protect the rim allows them to win the low-scoring games where every basket counts.

“Luke’s huge for us,” he said. “He’s a great rim protector, and it’s no surprise to us. We’ve seen him do it in practice all year. He’s only going to keep getting better.”

Hopkins commented on the impact of having Novotney back in the lineup - explaining how his presence as a scorer helps everyone on the floor.

“It gives you another scorer where you really can’t key on one guard,” Hopkins said. “It alleviates some pressure. He’s a veteran, he’s played a lot of basketball and usually takes good shots.”

Roanoke-Benson was led by senior guard Kaden Harms with eight points. The Rockets struggled offensively after the opening quarter and especially out of halftime, scoring just five points in the third.

“When you hold a team to 44 points, you’ve got to expect to be right in the game,” Roanoke-Benson coach Phil Oloffson said. “They gapped us in the third quarter though, and that was basically the game. They wore us down with their physicality and size inside.”

Despite the loss, Oloffson credited his team’s effort and competitiveness.

“Our guys compete, and they don’t worry about the scoreboard,” he said. “We’re going to be in games. Some nights shots fall, some nights they don’t, but these guys always give good effort.”