Redhawks Roar Back To Defeat No. 18 STAC
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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Roberts Wesleyan University men’s basketball team overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to stun No. 18 Saint Thomas Aquinas, 107-102, in an East Coast Conference game Sunday at the Voller Athletic Center.
Senior guard Malik Brooks scored 24 of his career-high 34 points in the second half as the Redhawks (6-6, 3-1 ECC) outscored the Spartans 62-45 to earn their fourth straight victory.
“A lot of it has to do with confidence,” Roberts coach Mark Saladzius said. “We knew that we had nothing to lose. We looked like we played a little bit nervous in the first half and we came out loose to start the second half and I think that it just motivated the guys to keep playing with confidence.”
Sophomore guard Ryan Garwood scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half and junior guard Kevin Constant added 19 for the Redhawks.
The win was Roberts’ first over STAC since Feb. 16, 2020 and ended a 10-game losing streak against the four-time defending ECC Tournament champions.
Marlon Pratt Jr. added 11 points for Roberts.
The Redhawks opened the second half on a 20-7 run to take a lead that they would hold for the final 15:24. Garwood scored nine points and Brooks added seven during the spurt. Roberts went on to build a 12-point advantage with 2:12 to play.
“In this conference anybody can go out and beat anybody,” Saladzius said. “We want to keep building and at the end of the day we want to be the team that people celebrate when they beat us.”
Roberts returns to action for an ECC game at Queens at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.
PLAYERS MENTIONED
#0 Malik Brooks
G 6′ 3″ Senior
#3 Ryan Garwood
G 6′ 1″ Sophomore
#4 Marlon Pratt Jr.
G 6′ 4″ Senior
#24 Kevin Constant
G 6′ 1″ Junior