FREDERICTON, N.B. - The CIS No. 10 ranked Acadia Axemen basketball team wrapped up an important road trip weekend, sweeping both games against the UNB Varsity Reds. Improving to 12-3 and pushing the Varsity Reds down to fifth place with an 8-7 record, the Axemen won both games by a margin of 13 and 19 points.
On a two game winning streak with a 5-1 record at home at 5-2 on the road before the weekend, the Axemen extend the streak to four with two wins against UNB. In their last meeting at Acadia, the Axemen split the weekend against the-then first place V-Reds.
This past weekend the Axemen pulled into a comfortable first place position in the AUS standings with 96-83 and 83-64 wins.
Head Coach Stephen Baur was asked what the difference was this past weekend compared to the split weekend at home before the Christmas Holidays. "It was a flip of fortunes, we were much healthier than first semester and they are battling injuries".
Not to take credit away from the Axemen's performance, Baur praised his team along with two key players. "Owen (Klassen) had a great weekend and was the final point to our offense. (Anthony) Sears has emerged as the locker room leader and was our most impactful defender".
Fifth year forward and two time AUS defensive player of the year, Owen Klassen posted 11 and five rebounds in games one and two respectively. Klassen had a weekend high 36 points in Acadia's 96-83 first win and added 19 points in the Axemen's 83-64 second victory.
Trailing the Varsity Reds 20-16 after one quarter, the Axemen closed the first half with a 47-33 lead that was never relinquished. Pulling out the largest lead of 21 points eight minutes into the third quarter, the Axemen built the lead on out-rebounding UNB 45-24 and scoring 14 points to two on second chance points.
Fredericton native Kyle Arsenault netted 17 points and 10 rebounds, while teammates AJ Simmonds, Anthony Sears and Anthony Ashe added 13, 12 and 12 points respectively.
AUS rookie of the year candidate Javon Masters scored a team high 36 points that included 5-9 from the distant arc, eight for 19 from the floor and 15 for 15 from the charity strip. Teammate Will McFee was a disappointing one for six from the 3pt line, adding 20 points to the V-red total.
In the second game of the weekend, Acadia held onto the lead for 36 of the 40 minute game. Losing the lead at the four minute mark of the first quarter, Acadia retained the advantage for the remainder of the game - the largest lead of 22 coming four minutes into the final quarter.
Klassen once again posted a team high 19 points, while Anthony Ashe sank 17 points and added six rebounds. Kyle Arsenault pulled down a team high nine rebounds and netted nine points. Anthony Sears had 14 points in the win.
Masters scored a UNB high of 26 points, while Jordan Irvine and Josh Beasley added 10 points each. Masters leads the AUS with a 27.4 points per game average.
The Axemen will prepare for a 4pt game in the AUS standings this Wednesday night against the Saint Mary's Huskies, who they beat this past Wednesday by one point in the closing seconds of the game.