Olson Leads V-Hawks in Season Opener Victory

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team began their 2023-24 season with a 79-69 win over Judson University (Ill.) at the Clarke University Classic on Thursday evening. The V-Hawks start the season 1-0, while the Eagles start 0-1.

Jack Monis started his season off the right way by making his first attempt, a jump shot assisted by Nick Malovrh at 19:22. Rhyan Anterrious hit two threes during an 8-0 run for the Eagles to respond, but Monis ended the run on an assist by Dakota Mannel at 15:51. Monis continued to carry the offense, scoring the first 10 points for Viterbo. Ben Olson would convert and and-one in at 11:16 to get on the board for VU, and tie the game at 13-13. The V-Hawks then went on an 11-0 run, including three straight threes, to go up 24-13 at 7:47. Galvin Alston ended the run with a three of his own, but the V-Hawks kept the pressure on, going up 27-20 on a pair of free throws by Mannel. Keegan Severn and Olson both hit their free throws to end the half, and the V-Hawks led 45-31.

Anterrious scored the first points of the second half, at 18:33, and Monis answered the next possession on an assist by Colin Adams. Olson and Cole Crubel hit back-to-back threes, and Garret Locy followed with a jumper after a Malovrh steal for the biggest lead of the game, 61-41. The Eagles began to chip away at the lead, but Lydell King had a steal lead to a three to go back up 18. Late in the game, Judson closed the score to 78-67, but they would not close it to single digits, and Viterbo won 79-69.

Olson tied a game-high of 21 points, while adding a team-high eight rebounds. Monis had 18 on 9-14 shooting to go with two steals, and Mannel led all players with nine assists. Stefan Popovic hit three threes for VU.

Javaris Wiggins matched 21 points, Cee Jay Nwosu had 10 rebounds to go with his four threes, and Sam Stewart had two blocks for the Eagles.

The teams shots almost identically from the floor, 50% for the V-Hawks, 49% for Judson, and from three, 42.1%-44.4%. The Eagles only grabbed one more rebound, 31-30, but the difference came from Viterbo only committing eight turnovers to 15 from Judson.

The V-Hawks return to action on Friday, October 27 against Indiana-Northwest in their final game of the Clarke University Classic.