Mason Ackley
Photo by Holden Law
Four Yellowjackets scored in double figures as the UW-Superior (UWS) (4-4, 2-0) men’s basketball team earned a 68-53 victory over North Central University (NCU) (2-8, 0-2) at Clark-Danielson Gym in Minneapolis on Saturday, Dec. 7.
With the win, UWS moves to 2-0 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) and starts its league slate with a pair of victories for the first time since they were in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) during the 1997-98 season.
Senior Vid Milenkovic (Zurich, Switzerland/DSB Belgrade (Serbia)) led the way for a game-high 15 points and pulled down a team-best eight rebounds. Freshman Mason Ackley (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) and senior Allen Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo) scored 12 points apiece and grabbed six and seven boards, respectively.
The ‘Jackets overcame an early 9-2 deficit and took the lead for good when freshman Xavier Patterson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) crashed the offensive glass on a Milenkovic miss. He converted the putback for a 16-14 UWS advantage with 11 minutes remaining in the half.
Anderson put the ‘Jackets up 29-17 with 3:24 left for the largest lead of the half. UWS was up 33-24 at the break.
The Rams moved within six points with six minutes left. But that was as close as the hosts got.
The Rams again cut the lead to 59-51 with 1:45 left, but the ‘Jackets hit 6-of-7 from the line to ensure the win.
UWS shot just 34 percent from the field but forced 17 North Central turnovers.
UWS Bethany Lutheran at home on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3:00 p.m.
