ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T's men's basketball team got off to a fast start in its season opener Saturday night and rolled to a 95-59 victory over Blackburn at the Bullman Multi-Purpose Building.

After spotting the visiting Beavers a 2-1 lead in the early going, the Miners rattled off the next 13 points to take a 14-2 lead just over five minutes into play. S&T extended that lead to 17 points by the midway point of the opening half after Tommy Pelczynski (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) nailed a three-pointer, then pushed it out to 21 with seven minutes left in the half following a dunk by Bryce Foster (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central).

Blackburn outscored the Miners 12-2 in the four minute span that followed Foster's dunk, but S&T regained control of matters over the final 3:04 as it scored the final 11 points to take a 48-26 lead to the break.

The Miners shot 66.7 percent from the floor in the opening half and made five-of-eight from three-point range.

Missouri S&T pushed its lead beyond the 30-point mark with under 10 minutes to play and led by as many as 36 during the second half, which ended up being its final margin of victory.

The Miners had five players in double figures, led by Bryce Foster (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) with 22 points. Foster recorded a double-double for S&T – the first by a Miner in a season opener in two seasons (Adam Knollmeyer (Linn, Mo./Linn) vs. Harding in 2008) – with 10 rebounds and also added six assists.

Pelczynski added 14 points for the Miners, while Nusrath Khan (Morton Grove, Ill./Maine East) had 12, Aaron Hays (Kirksville, Mo./Kirksville) 11 and Maurice Grinter (Louisville, Ky./Fairdale) 10 for the Miners, who finished the game at 60 percent from the field and eight-of-16 from three-point range. S&T also outrebounded the Beavers by a 41-25 margin.

Ira Williams was the only Blackburn player in double figures with 13 points.

The Miners, who won their home opener for the 28^th time in the last 30 seasons, will play host to Missouri Baptist Tuesday at 7 p.m.