LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- In a well-balanced team win from start to finish, the Sabercats have made an NCCAA North Region statement.

An 80-33 win over Faith Baptist marked the Sabercats' second win in a row, reinforcing their ranking as the 3rd-best team in the NCCAA DII.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 80-33 Faith
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 137
• Records: MBU (12-2), Faith (4-12)

STORY

Coach Clayton Morrison utilized his 12th different starting lineup this year, showcasing the Sabercats' depth once again. Sarah Rogers and Krysten Lawver joined the starting five and made an immediate impact. Rogers put up six points in the first quarter and Lawver would go on to lead the Sabercats to the win with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

The first quarter was all about MBU, as they held the Eagles to just four points. Trisha Wright came off the bench to hit five points, joining Rogers as the two leaders for MBU in the scoring department. Lawver then came to life in the second quarter, as she led a second-string squad with 10 points off a perfect 5-5 shooting.

After another 20-point performance in the second quarter, the Sabercats had the game easily in hand, winning 41-15 at the halftime break.

The second half narrative mirrored the first half. The Sabercats would go on to average 20 points a quarter and the Eagles couldn't get past 10. The visitors shot under 20 percent from the floor while the Sabercats had a well-balanced team win. Kiersten Johnson came off the bench to lead everyone with 12 points, and the Sabercats had 12 different student-athletes contribute buckets in the win. Coach Morrison did well to distribute the minutes and rest the usual starting group, as all starters played fewer than 20 minutes on the night. It was a well-balanced team win for MBU, who are rolling towards the end of the season with noticeable momentum.

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MBU Starters: 3- C. Morrison, 12- Ka. Johnson, 13- Ke. Johnson, 20- Rogers, 30 Lawver

STATS

• K. Johnson: led MBU with 12 PTS
• Lawver: 10 PTS, career-high 11 REB
• MBU: Shot 43 percent on the day
• Bench points: MBU 42-5 FBBC
• Last time: The Sabercats topped Faith 70-35 last season
• Series: Maranatha now leads the all-time series 10-0

OPPONENTS

• Faith competes with the Sabercats for the NCCAA North Region
• Faith also competes in the Midwest Christian Collegiate Conference
• Faith is winless through six games against NCCAA North Region opponents this season

NEXT

The Sabercats will host Free Lutheran Bible College on Saturday for a 5:00 p.m. tip. Find details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.