GREAT SECOND HALF SENDS

SAINTS PAST ELMIRA, 74-58

Jan. 15: The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team was able to overcome a four-point deficit at the half and use their strong offesnse to rally past Elmira College Tuesday night at Speidel Gym in Elmira, NY, as the Saints were able fly past the Soaring Eagles, 74-58 in non-conference action.

 

Junior guard and co-captain Tom Wopperer (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) scored nearly a third of the points in the second half for the Saints, leading the Scarlet and Brown with a game-high 22 points, 15 of those coming in the last 20 minutes, while also adding five rebounds and one assist. The guard scored on 8-of-14 shots from the field, was 4-for-6 from behind the arc and perfect in free throws to help the Saints to their third consecutive win.

 

The first half of the game saw the lead change three times, with the Saints getting out to an early five-point lead over Elmira, which was soon deflated after the Soaring Eagles’ Palen Andreozzi put up two consecutive lay-ups and Jon Adamson scored a three to give them a slight two-point edge over St. Lawrence.

 

The Saints were able to keep it a two-possession game and tied it up after Wopperer and teammate Andy Hoercher (Auburn, NY/Hotchkiss) both made a basket and senior Sebastian Kurtz (Newnan, GA/Our Lady of Mercy) used his 6-8 frame to his advantage in the paint to tie the game 20-20 with 5:10 remaining on the clock.

 

Another successful three by Elmira only ten seconds later pushed the Soaring Eagles back into the lead, which they only were able to retain for the next two and a half minutes when Wopperer made his own three to tie it for the fourth time in the half. A turnover on Elmira would hand the Saints possession once again and put sophomore guard Josh Sharlow (Norwood, NY/Norwood-Norfolk) in prime scoring position, making a jumper from the field to give the Saints a two-point lead. Elmira tied the game 30 seconds later and was able to post six points and keep St. Lawrence from scoring in the remaining moments to end the period with a score of 31-27 in favor of the Soaring Eagles.

 

The beginning of the second half was similar to the first, as both teams vied for a sizeable lead while trying to beat the other’s defense. Elmira held a seven-point lead twice in the second before the Saints were able to bring it back within one point after a three from senior Tyler Shaver ( Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg Free Academy). Shaver, who posted 11 points on the game, was back under the net 25 seconds later and made a lay-up to give the Saints their own one point lead with 14:45 on the clock.

 

The lead changed three times in the next minute before St. Lawrence’s Ben Augliano ( Clayton, NY/ Thousand Islands) dunked the ball to give the Saints a lead which only increased throughout the remaining 14 minutes of the contest.

 

Senior forward Tyler Wright ( Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) tallied a game-high 10 rebounds as the Saints outrebounded the Soaring Eagles 44-17. Wright also had five assists and one steal.