On Friday night in the title game of the Columbia/Freeburg Holiday Tournament Coach Steve Medford's team passed their exam, barely.

Marquette ran into a patient, yet mistake prone, Columbia squad on their own floor and it took a supreme effort to hold off the Eagles, 52-47 to capture their second tournament title of the season.

For a team whose average margin of victory in its first 13-games of the 2011-12 campaign was 27-points, the Explorers had to earn victory number fourteen.

Taking advantage of 16 turnovers by the Eagles and nailing 19-of-23 free throws, the Explorers stayed undefeated in front of a packed house at CHS.

Coach Medford witnessed his young team survive despite not being able to shake loose from the Eagles' team that has struggled this season but had put together three consecutive wins to reach the title game.

Mike Williams-Bey led the Explorers with 14-points while teammates D'tae McMurray (the tournament's Most Valuable Player) and Sam Schneiter scored 10-points apiece.

“This (close game) was great for our team. They (Columbia) were physical with us and the refs weren't calling much but we played through it,” said Coach Medford. “What we have been doing this year is attacking the basket and usually we would get those calls and get to the line. But tonight they weren't calling it and it was a great experience for our kids to go through something like this and battle.”

Coach Mark Sandstrom saw his Eagles execute its game plan with the exception of two main factors.

Having slowed the tempo down to a half-court game while keeping Marquette from getting easy baskets for the most part, Columbia was in position to pull off the upset.

However the Eagles failed to capitalize on its opportunity because of 16 costly turnovers and a poor night from the foul line.

Columbia was just 8-of-17 from the charity stripe while their counterpart was a deadly 82.6 percent.

“We dug ourselves a hole and got ourselves behind the eight ball and I told the kids we need to limit the amount of possessions to keep the game in the high 40's or low 50's and our kids did everything possible,” said Coach Sandstrom. “But we turned the ball over a few too many times and we were 8-of-17 from the line. Normally we're a pretty good free throw shooting team. But that's the way it goes.”

Just three of the Eagles scored in the contest with Michael Hunsaker and Hayden Landgraf each netting 17-points while Tommy Lewis added 13.

The top-seeded Explorers looked the part in the first two minutes of the game as they sprinted out to a quick 7-0 lead.

Five points from Jake Coddington on a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws and then a steal and a fast break lay in by Scheiter forced a Columbia time out with 5:49 left.

The Eagles committed seven turnovers in the first quarter alone but toughened up on the defensive end.

After that mini-burst, Marquette struggled getting its running game going against the patient Eagles.

Landgraf scored eight of his points in the first quarter and his 3-point bomb from the top of the arc closed the first frame at 12-all.

Marquette struggled in the first quarter in its half-court offense, hitting just 4-of-14 shots.

Each time the Explorers made a move, Columbia countered.

Scheiter, McMurray and Williams-Bey each scored as Marquette made a second scoring run of the contest.

McMurray made a steal and hit Williams-Bey on the fly with a “behind-the-back” pass for a lay in and an 18-12 lead.

But as they had done in the first quarter, Columbia responded.

A drive to the basket by Hunsaker and a 3-pointer that turned into a four-point play as Marquette's Keyshon Young fouled Landgraf in the act of shooting, evened the game once again at 18-all.

The two teams ended up tied at the half 25-all after a 3-pointer from Coddington and a Lewis score for Columbia.

However the normally good free throw shooting Eagles lost an opportunity to go to intermission with the lead after senior forward Tyler Schutzenhofer missed a pair of free throws with :46.8 left.

This turned out to be an omen of things to come for Coach Sandstrom's squad.

Columbia got its final lead of the championship game in the third quarter.

A 3-pointer by Landgraf, one of his four trifectas in the contest, started a 7-0 run that gave the Eagles a 36-32 lead at the 2:13 mark.

Nevertheless, Marquette scored the next six points to set up a memorable fourth quarter.

Scheiter scored twice on a nice move in the lane and then on a fast break after a Columbia turnover.

McMurray close out the scoring with a backdoor pass from Derrik Starrett, who has played limited minutes off the bench for Marquette because of an injured ankle.

The 6-foot-4 senior would play a key role in the title game win in the fourth quarter.

Leading 40-37 and with Columbia wanting to stay in a zone defense, Marquette decided to hold the ball near mid-court.

“We couldn't come out and guard them because we don't have the foot-speed that they (Marquette) do,” Coach Sandstrom explained. “When they spread it late, it was 40-37 and still a one-possession game we weren't going to go out and cover them until right at four minutes. If I had that team and I was up 40-37 I would have pulled it out, too.”

McMurray stood near the foul line with the ball on his hip for just over two and a half minutes as the Eagles were content on letting the clock run.

“We would held the ball the rest of the game if they (Columbia) had let us. I was going to make them come out and guard us,” said Coach Medford. “We've got good guards that can make plays and I thought we could beat them off the dribble and get some easy lay ups. Fortunately we've got some kids that can knock those (free throws) down.”

When Columbia finally came out to challenge, Starrett got the ball in the lane for an attempt but was fouled hard on the play by Schutzenhofer.

Starrett limped to the foul line on his bum ankle but came up big by sinking both free throws before heading back to the bench.

His key free throws push the Explorers lead to 42-37.

“Derrick isn't near where Derrik is capable of being. He basically a “one-and-a-half” legged man out there. But still his physical presence around the basket and his ablity to finish helps us,” added Coach Medford, talking about his senior leader who broke his ankle in the fall playing football and isn't 100 percent yet. “Those two free throws were big for us.”

Columbia's final chance at the upset came just a minute later.

On a drive to the basket, Schutzenhofer was fouled by Coddington. The foul was deemed intentional and Schutzenhofer was given two free throws with Columbia set to retain possession.

However Schutzenhofer, who is normally a 60 percent free throw shooter, missed both tosses.

Schutzenhofer made it back to the free throw line moments later and again missed the front end of a 1-and-1.

The polar opposite of the free throw woes from Columbia happened on the other end of the floor.

Marquette won the holiday tournament title by nailing 13-of-14 from the stripe in the final quarter.

Hunsaker scored his teams' final 10-points and his two free throws got the Eagles within 50-47 with :16 remaining.

But two more free throws by McMurray close the book on this game and added another chapter to this brilliant season so far for the Explorers.

Before the campaign began, Marquette hadn't won a tournament of any kind since 1988 but Coach Medford's club now has two tourney titles this season with more tests to come.

“We got good guard play down the stretch. We went “three-high” and spread them out a llittle bit and made them come out and guard us,” added Coach Medford. “Fortunately we made some free throws down the stretch.”

Columbia saw its record slip to 7-6 overall but Coach Sandstrom feels his young team is getting better.

“Our kids haven't played in a game of that magnitude and now they have a little taste of it and I think they are definitely looking forward to the rest of the season,” added Coach Sandstrom.