The varsity basketball team has chosen the right time to put together a winning streak as they have taken their last three, including claiming their first two contests in the region tournament.
On Friday, February 9, the Owls wrapped up their region schedule and the regular season with a home game against St. Benedict.
MUS relied on balance as eight players scored, led by Robert Counce's 10 points. The Owls built on their 6-point halftime advantage as they held the Eagles to only 28% shooting in the second half, including giving up only one three-point field goal in the second stanza.
MUS forced 22 turnovers and outrebounded SBA, 36-27, to take the 57-38 victory and sweep the season series over St. Benedict.
The win gave the Owls the fourth-seed in the region tourney and a home date against Rossville Christian in the first round.
MUS was never seriously challenged by the game-but-outmanned Rebels, even without leader Elliott Cole, who sat out the game because of illness.
All dressed players saw action as the Owls built a 30-15 halftime lead and ended up winning, 69-28. MUS was just too much inside for the smaller Rebels as the hosts outrebounded Rossville, 47-20, and outscored the visitors in the lane, 36-6.
Ferrakohn Hall led MUS with 15 points and 9 rebounds.
With the win over Rossville, MUS advanced to the quarterfinal round, and in another elimination game, the Owls took on the small-school top-seed, FACS, last Saturday at Briarcrest.
MUS started sluggishly as they hit only two of their first sixteen field-goal attempts, but even with the poor shooting, the Crusaders could not take advantage as they did not shoot much better and held only a 5-point lead in the second quarter.
But in the final two minutes of the half, the Owls went on a run as Cole, who returned after his absence, scored his team's final six points of the half to give MUS the 17-16 lead at the break.
Much of the third quarter was back and forth as both teams used zone defenses to slow each other down. The lead changed hands six times in the third quarter, but ultimately, MUS began to take control inside by the end of the quarter to lead, 40-33.
In the fourth quarter, the Owls took care of the basketball and hit enough free throws to stay ahead and ultimately win going away, 56-43, ending the Crusaders' season at 23-5.
Hall led MUS in scoring with 21 points, while Cole and Louis Amagliani each added 11. Hall and Amagliani also led the team in rebounds, both tallying 8. The Owls shot 54.5% from the field in the second half, and held FACS to only one three-point field goal in the game, a crucial statistic for a team that relies so heavily on their perimeter game.
With the win, MUS (20-9) advances to the semifinals and will play the region's overall top-seed, ECS, Tuesday evening at Briarcrest. The winner will play for the region title and clinch a berth to the state tournament, while the loser must win a consolation game Thursday to advance. Tipoff Tuesday is set for 6:00 p.m.