SERENA – Looking ahead on your schedule is something all coaches and teams try to avoid, and with good reason. It’s not uncommon for a team to overlook a less-talented foe while looking ahead to a more-anticipated matchup.
That was not the case for the Marquette Crusaders in their visit to Serena on Monday night, and it will probably not be again on Tuesday when coach Todd Hopkins club plays host to Lowpoint-Washburn. Still, there were a few little hints that Friday night’s battle in Bader Gym with defending Tri-County Conference champion and 1A Elite Eight qualifier Roanoke-Benson had seeped into their minds.
The Cru, who have relied on outstanding guard play in their first two contests, this time focused on getting some work for their big man, 6-foot-6 center Vic Mullen, and work out he did. As the focal point of the offense early, Mullen scored seven of his 12 points and grabbed five of his 10 rebounds in the first quarter as MA opened up a 19-7 lead on its way to a 63-37 victory over the Huskers here on Al Stegman Court.
Luke Couch matched his taller teammate’s figures with 12 points and 10 boards of his own as the well-balanced Cru rolled to its third win in as many games in advance of the league showdown with the Rockets’ 6-10 senior center Luke Braman.
Their efforts offset an outstanding performance by Huskers sophomore guard Camden Figgins, who tossed in a game-best 17 points and matched teammate Hudson Stafford with a team-high six rebounds.
But it was the size of Mullen and his fellow Cru posts that set the tone right off the bat.
“We came in wanting to get the ball inside early. On the road, you have to do that,” said MA coach Todd Hopkins. “We didn’t shoot real well (36.9%), but give Serena credit for that. They guarded us well. I felt we were a little lethargic at points and I got kinda irritated toward the end of the second quarter, in the last three minutes when I thought they outplayed us. The lead went from 19 to 14 and they had to be feeling good about themselves at the half. But give our guys credit, too. They came out in the third quarter and put their foot down and did what we’ve been doing.
“It was nice to see Vic have a nice game. We’re really gonna need him, especially Friday night when he goes up against 6-10.”
Being strong in the lane, Mullen scored seven of Marquette’s first eight points to start it to leads of 8-1 and, on a steal and two free throws by Nick Melvin, 17-3 later in the opening stanza.
The Huskers (0-2), despite getting just one field goal in the first 9:39 of the game, hung tough and led by a deuce and a trey from Figgins, matched the visitors hoop for hoop in the second quarter to trail 34-20 at the break.
But the Crusaders decided the issue in the third, behind Logan Nelson’s five points, scoring 11 of the first 13 points in that period for a 45-22 advantage. Lucas Hoffman added eight points on the night and Brady Ewers, who along with twin Beau and senior Shane Reynolds helped spell Mullen in the paint, chipped in seven.
“That’s the conundrum against a team like this: who are you going to guard?,” said Serena coach Dane Twait, who saw junior Dylan Cartwright add eight points to Figgins’ total. “We sat in our zone to try and take (Mullen) away and they still found him, taking advantage of their size advantage. And they only had three made 3s at the half but it seemed like seven or more than that because it’s how it feels when you’re scrambling to guard one or the other.
“But that’s a darn good offensive team over there … They’re physical and aggressive and there’s never a possession off against them. They’re physically imposing for us, that’s for sure.”