Highlights and Postgame Interview

WICHITA, Kan. – The 25^th-ranked St. Edward's men's basketball team rallied from a 17-point deficit on the road to defeat Newman, 71-62, Thursday evening to improve to 10-0 overall and 2-0 in Heartland Conference play.
 
Newman (4-3, 0-1 HC) opened the game determined, outscoring the visitors, 12-4, in the first six minutes of action.
 
St. Edward's (10-0, 2-0 HC) crept back in the game with a layup from RAMIR BURTON at the 12:54 mark to cut the Jet lead to 12-6.
 
The Jets answered by making five three pointers over the next eight minutes to race out to their biggest lead of the game, 29-12, with 4:23 remaining in the first half. Ryan McCarthy nailed three of those shots to help the cause.
 
That is when JOHN GRAMLICH started to heat up for the Hilltoppers. The sophomore tallied two jumpers and two more shots from behind the three-point arc to lead St. Edward's on a 19-7 run over the final four minutes to cut the lead to five, 31-26. After a three-point play by the Jets, FRANKIE MGBOLU raced down the court and scored a layup in the final second of the half to make the score, 34-28, Newman at intermission.
 
In the second half, two buckets by HARLEY NUSSMAN and a three-pointer from Burton brought the Hilltoppers all the way back to take a 37-35 lead with just over 17 minutes remaining.
 
After a Reggie Baker free throw tied things up at the 16:06 mark, St. Edward's got some help off its bench. AUBRIE KING hit a jumper, three-pointer and picked up an assist in a three-minute span to push the Hilltoppers ahead, 47-38, with 13 minutes left in the contest.
 
Newman quickly cut the lead to five during the next two minutes, but two free throws from QUINTON LILLEY, one from Gramlich and a bucket from ETHAN GILBERT upped the lead back to double digits, 52-42.
 
Newman would not go quietly, as two free throws by Cortrael Colbert at the 4:10 mark capped off off a 13-6 run to bring the Jets within three, 58-55.
 
Two buckets from HARLEY NUSSMAN, and a free throw from Burton put the Hilltoppers ahead, 63-55, with 2:52 remaining, and a block by Nussman on the defensive end sealed the game for St. Edward's.
 
Mgbolu led the team with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Gramlich added 14 points. Both Nussman and Burton chipped in with 12 points each. St. Edward's shot 52 percent from the floor in the second half compared to just 28 percent for the home team.
 
Defense was the key for St. Edward's as it held the third-highest scoring team in the Heartland Conference to a season-low 62 points and 35.2 percent shooting. Baker came into the game as the conference's second-leading scorer at 23.3 points per game and was held to a season-low five points on 1-of-9 shooting.
 
St. Edward's will next face Grand Canyon on Saturday at 7 p.m. MST. The exhibition game will be available to follow on the Lopes Athletic Website.