'This is our time': Lincoln peaking at perfect time with rout of rival St. Mary’s

The look in his eyes said it all. Jagger Merolla eclipsed 1,000 career points at the free-throw line in the first quarter, and coach Anthony Matthews immediately called a 30-second timeout. The sold-out gym rose in celebration. Merolla didn’t. Expressionless, he walked to the bench — not angry, not satisfied. Before the applause could settle, he was already heading back to the court. His teammates followed without hesitation. It felt like a sign of what was coming. That same intensity, that pure focus, fueled Lincoln’s 69-25 dismantling of rival St. Mary’s at home Friday night, closing the regular season with a decisive response to its earlier loss. Lincoln (21-7) secured second place in the...