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BUTTE, Mont. -- With a powerful first-half spree -- and a dab of clutch play down the stretch -- Lewis-Clark State advanced to the championship game of the Frontier Conference men's basketball tournament.
The second-seeded Warriors fended off third-seeded Montana-Western 71-67 in a semifinal game Friday night at the Butte Civic Center.
So L-C (29-5) will meet Westminster of Salt Lake City in the title game tonight at 6 PST. The winner will draw an automatic berth in the NAIA national tournament, although both clubs are certain to get at-large selections should they lose.
Against the Bulldogs, LCSC used a 23-5 run at the end of the first half to break an 18-all tie. The Warriors led by 18 at halftime.
But UMW, which suited up just eight players, spent the second half rallying. Three times in the final two minutes, the Bulldogs had the deficit down to three points.
The answer often came from L-C senior forward Dustin Endsley, who went 6-for-8 from the foul line in the final 90 seconds.
Sharp-shooting guard Joey Ray finished with 20 points and hit 4 of 9 from 3-point range. Endsley added 12 points while Martin Brothers and Adam Trombley each tossed in 11.
Westminster, which shared the conference's regular-season title with the Warriors, beat Montana State-Northern on Friday to advance.
L-C and the Griffins split their two meetings this season. The Warriors won in Lewiston 73-64 while Westminster took the game in Utah 77-55.
MONTANA-WESTERN (17-17)
Day 2-5 7-10 11, Flatow 2-6 1-1 5, Christiaens 4-12 6-6 15, Hibbert 1-4 1-3 4, Keller 2-12 0-0 5, Hanson 0-0 0-0 0, Buell 8-25 4-6 24, Feenstra 1-5 0-0 3. Totals 20-69 19-26 67.
LEWIS-CLARK STATE (29-5)
Brothers 4-6 3-5 11, Endsley 3-6 6-8 12, Trombley 5-6 1-2 11, Allen 0-1 0-0 0, Ray 6-16 4-4 20, Frazier 1-6 0-2 3, Ball 2-2 0-0 6, Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Idoko 0-2 2-4 2, Pitts 2-4 2-4 6, Tikker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-50 18-29 71.
Halftime -- LCSC 41, UMW 23. 3-point goals -- UMW 8-26 (Buell 4-12, Hibbert 1-1, Feenstra 1-2, Christiaens 1-3, Keller 1-8), LCSC 7-15 (Ray 4-9, Ball 2-2, Frazier 1-2). Rebounds -- UMW 38 (Christiaens 9), LCSC 37 (Pitts 11). Assists -- UMW 11 (Keller 5), LCSC 12 (Allen 4, Frazier 4). Total fouls -- UMW 20, LC 23. Fouled out -- Day, Flatow.
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