THE OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 89-65 Calvary
• Venue: Faith Baptist Bible College
• Attendance: 112
• Record: Sabercats are now 13-12, and 8-0 in NCCAA regional play
• Next Game for MBU: NCCAA Regional Semifinal: Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. 

THE LEAD

ANKENY, Iowa -- With a point to prove on the regional level, the Sabercats made an emphatic statement in their opening game of the NCCAA North Regional Tournament.

MBU was firing on all cylinders in a convincing 89-65 win over Calvary University - 5 players from Maranatha recorded double-figure points. With the win, the Sabercats advance to tomorrow's 4 p.m. semifinal.

THE STORY

David Lerma set the tone for the game immediately. When the junior drilled a 3-pointer just 4 seconds into the game, the Sabercats never relinquished the lead.

With multiple players firing from downtown, the Sabercats pulled out to a 13-point lead just past the 7-minute mark, and they allowed the Warriors to come within only 6 points of the lead from that point on. Even when Calvary did make it a 2-possession game, the Sabercats responded immediately with a 12-0 run over the next 4 minutes to practically put the first half on ice.

A parting 3-pointer from Lerma with 3 seconds on the clock gave Maranatha a 45-23 lead going into halftime. In the opening 20 minutes, Bryce Cashner recorded 11 points to lead MBU while Lerma knocked down 9 points of his own.

MBU's first-half showing was polished at both ends, as they limited the Warriors to shooting just 32.1 percent from the field.

With the way things were going, the second half turned out to be a formality, as the Sabercats closed out the game without any legitimate threat from the Warriors. The closest Calvary came was an 11-point gap, but even the Warriors' improved shooting was an empty threat after that 22-point deficit in the first half.

Micah Shepard led the charge for the Sabercats in the second act. The senior's 10-points were part of a strong effort from the starting 5, who all combined for 32 points.

RJ Medina and CJ Jones provided sparks from off of the bench, as they recorded 7 and 5 points, respectively.

The Sabercats extended their lead back out to a comfortable 23 points at the sound of the final horn. With a solid team performance, MBU had successfully completed their first step towards the coveted regional banner.

THE SOUND BITE

"We were really happy with our effort today, and really happy with our focus," said Coach Keith Salscheider after the game. "We are headed in the right direction - we play Emmaus tomorrow, and it's going to be a tough battle - they are going to give us everything we can handle. We're looking forward to doing our best tomorrow and we're excited for what the future holds for us."

THE NUMBERS

Lerma (18), Shepard (17), Cashner (16), Justin Blake (12), and Jones (10) all recorded double-digit points.

Calvary's Isaiah Miller led all scorers with 20 points for the Warriors.

MBU out-rebounded Calvary, 43-26, and held a 73-56 advantage in total shots.

The Sabercats held a 55-37 rebounding advantage.

Maranatha committed just 11 turnovers - that's their second-lowest mark this season.

MBU once again recorded over 20 assists - that was their seventh time they reached the 20-assist mark this season. They have won the game each time they have hit that mark.

The Sabercats now hold the 3-0 advantage in the all-time series.

THE OUTLOOK

The Sabercats advance to the semifinals tomorrow at 4 p.m., where they will face the winner of #3 Emmaus Bible and #6 Moody Bible.

Follow live at mbusabercats.com/composite.