MW MENS BASKETBALL: Bluejays rout Warriors in Southern Division matchup

WORTHINGTON — Minnesota West men’s basketball team pulled away from Ridgewater during the final 7 minutes of the first half.

The Bluejays generated 23 of the 32 points scored in that span en route to an 83-58 Minnesota Collegiate Athletic Conference Southern Division victory over the Warriors on Wednesday.

“We ended the half really well and I think it wore down Ridgewater’s spirit,” Minnesota West head coach Justin Heckenlaible said. “We were hoping the first 5 or 6 minutes of the second half were going to be a key time in the game and we did a good job of responding to that.”

The Bluejays (9-6 overall, 2-1 MCAC Southern) led 21-16 with 7:22 left before intermission. But Minnesota West scored the next nine points on Orie Brown’s steal and transition layup, Luke Roddy’s jumper from inside the lane and Tyler Aquallo’s transition layup and left-wing 3-pointer.

Aquallo led the Bluejays with 20 points and six assists. He hit 7 of 13 shots from the field and 3 of 5 shots from 3-point range.

Brown added 19 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field (1 of 2 from 3-point range) and a 2 of 2 effort at the free-throw line.

But it was Mitch Olson and Roddy who helped Minnesota West take a 19-point first half lead into the locker room. After Ridgewater fought back to within seven points (30-23) with 3 minutes left, Olson scored on a baseline drive and Roddy drained a pair of 3-pointers to spark a 12-0 run that was capped by Taylor Lupton’s putback and Aquallo’s jumper.

“We went inside and out, but missed some easy shots, unfortunately,” Heckenlaible said. “Overall, our execution was pretty good and we did a nice job of converting from defense to offense, especially in the first half.”

Roddy said his shot felt accurate all night long.

“I have been struggling the last couple games and I just wanted to get going early in this one,” Roddy said. “I knocked down a few shots, which gave me my confidence back.”

Roddy, who was 6 of 9 from the field, said his looks at the basket came after his teammates found him wide open.

“My teammates are great at finding me in those situations,” Roddy said.

The Bluejays shot at a higher percentage than the Warriors, 41 to 27 percent.

“(Ridgewater) is the type of team that will knock down open shots, if you let them,” Heckenlaible said. “We made sure we were not going to give them open looks, and we did that for the most part. We also did a nice job with our press.”

Minnesota West employed a 2-2-1 press headed by Roddy, who finished with three steals. Tyson Langdeau led the Bluejays with five steals, while Brown added three more.

Zak Pendleton, who led Ridgewater (7-9, overall 1-2 MCAC Southern) with 15 points, scored on a putback before hitting a left-wing 3-pointer to pull the Warriors within five points (21-16) at the 7:22 mark of the first half.

It was all Minnesota West after that.

The Bluejays began the second half with a 7-2 run that extended their lead to 51-27. Minnesota West led by as many as 28 points twice (72-44 with 5:29 left and 83-55 with 1:42 left.)

On Saturday, the Bluejays travel to play Anoka-Ramsey at 3 p.m.

MINNESOTA WEST 83,

RIDGEWATER 58

RIDGEWATER (7-9, 1-2 MCAC SOUTHERN): Pendleton 6-14 0-0 15, Kromah 1-1 2-4 4, Helgeson 5-5 13, Rambow 0-7 2-5 2, Schwartz 1-6 1-2 3, Henning 3-5 2-5 9, Green 1-3 0-0 2, Halvorson 0-3 0-0 0, Olson 0-2 0-2 0, Herrig 4-13 2-2 10. Totals: 20-74 (27%) 14-24 (58%) 58.

MINNESOTA WEST (9-6, 2-1 MCAC SOUTHERN): Roddy 6-9 0-0 15, Langdeau 1-6 2-2 4, Green 1-7 0-0 2, Seitzinger 1-5 0-1 2, Ahlers 0-1 0-0 0, Olson 2-8 2-3 6, Brown 8-12 2-2 19, Aquallo 7-13 3-6 20, Hopkins 2-5 0-0 4, Lupton 2-4 0-1 4, Harris 3-10 0-1 7 Totals: 33-80 (41%) 9-16 (56%) 83.

Ridgewater 25 33 — 58

Bluejays 44 39 — 83

3-Point Goals: Ridgewater 4-18 (Pendleton 3-9, Henning 1-1, Herrig 0-1, Olson 0-1, Rambow 0-2, Helgeson 0-3); Minnesota West 8-19 (Aquallo 3-5, Roddy 3-6, Brown 1-2, Harris 1-3, Ahlers 0-1, Langdeau 0-2). Rebounds: Ridgewater 56 (Herrig 9, Schwartz 8); Minnesota West 58 (Olson 6).

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