ROLLA, Mo. – After a sluggish first half, Missouri S&T took charge over the final 20 minutes Monday as it outscored Health Sciences & Pharmacy 44-24 and went on to a 79-53 win before a large crowd on Education Day at Gibson Arena.
S&T got out to a fast start, scoring in six out of seven possessions to take a 15-8 lead with just over four minutes played after
Julien Smith (Fort Worth, TX/Northwest) scored the Miners' initial points of the game on a three-pointer. However, the Miners went cold from the field as they scored just six points over the next eight-plus minutes, allowing the Eutectics (1-9) to take a 22-21 lead on a reverse lay-in by Brady Bowers.
The Miners (7-2) regained the lead on two
Alex Benassi (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit) free throws that started a 6-0 burst, then S&T got a three-pointer from Benassi just before the first half ended to take a six-point lead to the break. UHSP nearly cut that lead in half when Sean Paradise made a shot from well beyond mid-court as time expired, but after a review the shot was waved off as it was released just after the buzzer sounded.
But when the second half began, the Miners began to seize control of the contest. Consecutive baskets by
Andrew Young (Ballwin, MO/Marquette), Smith and Benassi gave S&T a 12-point lead, then an 8-0 run a few moments later pushed the Miner advantage to 20 at 53-33 just before the midway point of the second half.
S&T's largest lead of the game was the final margin of 26, as it shot 44.4 percent in the second half and held UHSP to a 35.7 percent mark in the half and to a 32.8 percent showing from the field for the game.
Smith led the Miners with 11 points and Benassi and Young had 10 points apiece, with Benassi recording his first career double-double in the game as he pulled down 10 rebounds. A total of 13 of the 14 Miners who saw playing time in the game got into the scoring column.
Jas Suvalija was the only Eutectic in double figures with 19 points on the day.
Missouri S&T will be idle until Saturday, Dec. 30 with a matchup against Principia at 3 p.m. at Gibson Arena. Great Lakes Valley Conference play will resume for S&T on Jan. 3 when it plays at Lewis.
