Yellowjackets finally win a close one

But unlike the last three defeats where the Yellowjackets lost by a total of five points, the Yellowjackets overcame a 32-28 halftime deficit to defeat the Eagles 72-65.

Leading the Yellowjackets were Vid Milenkovic, Colton Williams and Shaq Coleman.

Milenkovic scored a game-high 22 points, hitting 8-of-9 shots, with five assists and one steal despite playing most of the second half in foul trouble.

Williams added 20 points and six rebounds despite picking up his fourth foul with seven minutes remaining and later fouling out; and Coleman, who scored more than 30 points earlier in the season at Northwestern, was held to 14 points, but he had game-highs with seven rebounds and five assists along with three steals.

Montroy Scott was also in double-digits, getting 10 points and five rebounds.

UWS quickly erased the four-point halftime deficit when Milenkovic nailed a 3-pointer seconds in and Williams followed up with a pair of 3-pointers and a turnaround jumper to give UWS a 39-34 lead.

A Coleman basket and a Montry Scott 3-pointer put UWS up 52-43 with 10:43 remaining.

The Eagles eventually got within four points three different times, but a Nate Kalien 3-pointer gave UWS a 59-68 lead with 3:12 left.

Northwestern got within four points again (68-64) on two free throws by Caleb Hageman and a 3-pointer by Anderson Bazile, but the Yellowjackets sealed the victory with two free throws apiece by Milenkovic and Coleman.

The beginning of the game was as close as it could get with seven lead changes and a 15-15 tie.

A 14-4 run, ending with a Hageman 3-pointer, allowed the Eagles to open up a 29-19 lead.

A Scott basket off an offensive rebound stopped the Northwestern run, and a 3-pointer by Williams and a two-pointer by Milenkovic got UWS within 28-26.

But the half ended with Northwestern’s Tanner Youngberg sandwiching baskets around two free throws by Williams.

Tanner Youngberg led the Eagles with 20 points. Isaiah Rahier added 12 points and Anderson Bazile Jr. had 10.

UWS plays at Bethany Lutheran at 3 p.m. Saturday.

‘JACKET JOTTINGS: The Yellowjackets entered the UMAC contest with just one win it their last seven games. The lone win during that span was also close with a 76-73 victory over Martin Luther on Jan. 27.

NORTHWESTERN

Tanner Youngberg 9-14 1-1 20; Isaiah Rahier 3-11 5-6 12; Anderson Bazile Jr. 3-10 3-4 10; Caleb Hageman 3-8 2-2 8; Brady Bellefeuille 2-6 2-2 6; Colton Simmer 3-3 0-1 6; Mitchell Weege 1-1 0-1 3; Jacob Gervais 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-56 13-17 65.

UW-SUPERIOR

Vid Milenkovic 8-9 4-5 22; Colton Williams 7-14 2-2 20; Shaq Coleman 5-7 4-4 14; Montroy Scott 4-7 0-0 10; Nate Kalien 1-5 0-0 3; Mac Reykdal 1-2 0-0 3; Trevor Paulus 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-45 10-11 72.

Northwestern (Minn.) 32 33 -- 65

UW-Superior 28 44 -- 72

3-point goals--NW 4-14 (Bazile Jr. 1-3; Weege 1-1; Youngberg 1-3; Rahier 1-4; Bellefeuille 0-1; Hageman 0-2), UWS 10-22 (Williams 4-8; Scott 2-3; Milenkovic 2-3; Reykdal 1-2; Kalien 1-5; Paulus 0-1). Fouled out--UWS-Williams. Rebounds--NW 28 (Youngberg 6), UWS 26 (Coleman 7). Assists--NW 11 (Youngberg 4), UWS 12 (Coleman 5; Vid Milenkovic 5). Total fouls--NW 12, UWS 15. Technical fouls--None. A-286.