It was a tight contest, but the Redmen stayed in control throughout the game. This win puts Marquette in first place in the Great Northern Conference.
The Redmen took the lead at 4-0 right out of the gate. Escanaba quickly tied it up at 4-4 and the game was neck and neck for a spell.
A Drew Wyble three-pointer gave the Redmen a chance to pull out in front at 13-8. The Redmen surged up to 16-8, but the Eskymos tightened that eight point lead to five at 17-12 before the buzzer.
The Eskymos were a little peskier in the second quarter.
Escanaba pulled ahead briefly. Marquette reclaimed the lead at 25-23 as the final seconds ticked down, but the Eskymos slipped a basket in to tie it up at 25-25 at the half.
Escanaba took over the lead at the top of the third quarter at 31-27. They stayed comfortably out front while the Redmen found themselves in a little foul trouble.
Marius Grazulis came off the bench and immediately scored a basket to improve the Redmen deficit to two at 36-34.
The Redmen found their rhythm again and, with a successful Wyble bucket, tied it up at 38-38. The Redmen ended the quarter back in the lead at 40-38.
The fourth quarter started evenly matched with a little back and forth for several minutes of play. The Redmen pulled away, however, and never looked back.
Escanaba tried their best to catch up, but the 61-51 Redmen victory could not be stopped.
Marius Grazulis, on fire in the fourth quarter, topped the Redmen scorers with 20 points overall. Raffy Millado had a huge first quarter, and didn’t stop there. He had 18 points overall. Drew Wyble had nine points, John Thomson had eight, and Bryce Brazeau had six points overall.
The Marquette Redmen will be at home against the Negaunee Miners this Friday, December 21st on Fox Sports Marquette 105.1-99.9. Pregame starts at 6:45 pm and tip off is at 7:15 pm.
Listen to a recording of the live broadcast.
