If the 12th ranked men’s basketball team is backed into a tough spot, opponents better hope that tough spot is not in the field house. The Saints have not lost a conference game at home since the 2005-06 season. This year, the Saints margin of victory at home exceeds 22 points per game.

This year, the regular season WHAC title is still up in the air, and with Cornerstone on their heels, Aquinas has little room for error. An 86-74 loss at fourth placed Indiana Tech on Feb. 13 preceded the Saints rematch with Siena Heights, who was looking for a sweep of Aquinas after upsetting them 59-58 in Adrian, Mich. on Jan. 23.

However, the Saints’ dominance in the field house took over for the eighth time this season, as they cruised to an 83-50 win over Siena Heights. After surrendering an early lead, the Saints surged to a 50-26 halftime lead behind seven straight three-point baskets.

In the much needed win, five Saints scored in double figures. Sophomore guard John Lierman led all scorers with 17 points, while Junior center Pedja Lazic and senior guard James Telman each had 13 points. Senior forward Jeff Wierzbicki and red shirt freshman guard Jason Fox each had ten points, and Wierzbicki also earned a double-double, pulling down 14 rebounds. Lierman dished out nine assists.

Junior guard Jordan Torres aysthe team cannot under-emphasize the importance of the victory.
“After Wednesday, we needed to get back on track right away,” said Torres. “We won with our defense which created the offense for us.”

Aquinas, the third best free throw shooting team in the nation, shot 78 percent from the charity stripe in the win. The Saints defense is also one of the best in the country. They are ranked in the top 20 in four defensive categories: total rebound defense (fourth), scoring defense per game, total rebound margin and three-point defense.

The win gives them their 21st victory of the season to bring them to 21-7 overall. It is the fifth consecutive 20-win season for the Saints. Torres says team play contributes to this season’s success.

“We play as one unit, are dedicated to our roles and play hard defense,” said Torres.

The continually improving play from the bench has also helped the team’s depth.

“The freshmen are getting opportunities and getting a lot better,” said Torres.

Aquinas is now 9-3 in conference play, as is Cornerstone, but in the event of a tie, the Saints would take the regular season title because they have beaten Cornerstone in both meetings this year.

The final two games of the regular season will be critical for the Saints. The winner of the regular season championship hosts the WHAC Tournament, and the winner of the WHAC Tournament earns an outright bid to nationals. If Aquinas does not win the tournament, they would have to wait for the opportunity to be picked for an at-large bid.

The first of the two games will be the home finale against University of Michigan-Dearborn tonight at 7:30 p.m. UM-Dearborn is in last place in the WHAC with a 2-11 record and a 10-19 record overall. UM-Dearborn has four scorers averaging ten or more point per game and are led by guard Matt Ponik, who averages just over 14 points per game. The Saints won the previous meeting on Jan. 12, 68-47.

The final game of the season, rescheduled as a result of a snow day earlier in the month, will be at Concordia. The Cardinals are 6-6 in the league and 10-18 overall. Head coach Dave Hammer previously described Concordia as one of the toughest opponents in the league on their home court. The Saints will content with the Cardinals’ explosive scorer Anthony Bates, who averages nearly 17 points per game. Aquinas won the previous meeting in Dearborn on Jan. 26, 83-68.

Meanwhile, Torres has reduced his turnovers this season and become one of the nation’s most consistent three-point shooters.

“Having the experience, now in my third year, has made a big difference in how I see the court,” said Torres. “I worked hard all off season so I could contribute effectively this late in the season.”
The WHAC Tournament begins Feb. 27.