Seniors Daniel Williams and Tanner McIntosh combined for 42 points and 16 rebounds on Senior Night, but it was enough as the Lewis-Clark State College men’s basketball team fell to the University of Montana Western 84-79 in Frontier Conference play at the LCSC Activity Center on Saturday night.
LCSC’s two seniors who played in the game both had big nights in the Warriors’ final home game of the regular season. Williams finished with a double-double with game-highs of 23 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-4 guard from Los Angeles also had six assists. McIntosh, a 6-8 forward from Imbler, Ore., had 19 points and six boards.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, they just couldn’t get over the hump in what has become a common threat in losses this season. The Warriors trailed by 12 early in the second half and then later by 14, but each time battled back. In fact, LCSC had the lead down to three points at 66-63 and had a 3-on-1 fastbreak but turned the ball over instead.
With a 68-65 advantage with less than three minutes remaining, Bulldogs center JaRon Brown scored a three-point play to make it a 71-65 lead. UMW then made its final 10 free throws to put the game away, including a pair with two seconds remaining after the Warriors had again cut the margin to three at 82-79.
Brown had a big game for the Bulldogs, now 20-7 overall and alone in second place in the league standings at 8-3. He finished 7-of-9 from the field and had 20 points to lead three players in double figures. Brandon Lawson added 15 points and six boards, while Terry Hauser had 12 points, four assists, four steals and a blocked shot.
LCSC, 13-12 overall and sixth in the conference at 4-7, never led in the game. The Warriors trailed by as much as nine in the first half before they cut the margin to 40-33 at halftime. LCSC then trailed 45-33 and later 51-37, but battled back each time.
A key for the Warriors on the night was offensive rebounding. The Warriors held a 43-32 rebounding edge, including a 25-7 advantage on the offensive glass. That led to a number of second and third shots for the Warriors. In fact, LCSC had one-third more shots from the field than UMW.
However, LCSC made one less basket from the field and those shooting woes were part of its downfall. Montana Western was 29-of-51 on the night for 56.9 percent, while LCSC was 28-of-76 for 36.8 percent.
Also, despite the rebounding difference, Montana Western was able to take advantage inside and outscored LCSC 36-34 in the paint. Part of that was because LCSC’s third senior, James Craft, missed the game with a knee injury that he suffered during Thursday night’s win over Montana Tech. The 7-footer didn’t dress for the game but is expected to play this next week.
With Craft out, LCSC had only eight players for the game.
Junior guard Markus Monroe also was in double figures for LCSC with 15 points, while Alex King had eight rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
LCSC is back in action on the road this next week. On Thursday night, the Warriors take on Carroll College in Helena, and then on Saturday they are in Billings to meet Rocky Mountain. Both games begin at 7 p.m. LCSC then closes out the season the following week against Westminster in Salt Lake City.
