Minnesota State University Reporter

Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: Mens Sports

Atila Santos is averaging 14 ppg this season, four more than last year.

It seems with one pass Saturday against North Dakota, the recent success of the Mavericks came to light.

Instead of Jake Morrow finding Atila Santos in the post, it was the opposite. Santos found a cutting Morrow for an easy layup late, and the Mavericks never gave up the lead again in a 71-66 comeback victory over the Fighting Sioux at Bresnan Arena.

 "We need to know that it's never over," MSU coach Matt Margenthaler said afterward. "We've got to keep playing and working hard and doing things that will make them successful. If they stay within themselves, they can get it done."

In his first season with the Mavericks a year ago, Santos struggled to consistently produce. He averaged just 9.8 points per game, but has bumped that up to 14.0 ppg through 16 games this season.

"I'm just doing whatever I can do to put this team on my back," Santos said. "Whether it's passing, defending, scoring - I'm trying to do whatever I can do to help."

Santos scored a team-high 18 points in the win over UND, all in the second half.

"He's been our most consistent guy," Margenthaler said of Santos. "We're going to ride him and we're going to have to ride him."

The other player who has improved his level of play recently is Morrow. He was benched at one point earlier in the season and averaged just 12.9 ppg through his first eight games. Since returning to the starting lineup for the last eight games, his average has jumped to 17.5 ppg.

 "Coming in this year I think I put too much pressure on myself to be the man," Morrow said. "But I don't have to do that. We're a deep team. I don't have to put that pressure on myself to score 25 a game.

Morrow is currently averaging a team-high 15.2 ppg.

"He's playing in so much more control right now it seems to be," Margenthaler said of Morrow. "He's letting the game come to him right now and seeing things a lot easier. When he does that, he's awful good."

The Mavericks (12-4) have won three in a row, including the last two over North Central Conference opponents.

Their next test comes at 8 p.m. tonight at the Taylor Center against the other 2-0 team in NCC play - St. Cloud State.

The 19th-ranked Huskies knocked off North Dakota 74-54 and Minnesota-Duluth 63-59.

SCSU's success lies in its leading-scorer, David Dreas, who is averaging 18.8 ppg.

"He always seems to have big games against us, no matter who's on him," Margenthaler said. "We're going to have to focus on him, but we can't let other guys have big nights either. He's going to be the big key, though."


Chris Jagerson is a Reporter staff writer

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