ROLLA, Mo. -- Missouri S&T improved to 2-0 on the season with last night's 91-62 win over the Hannibal-LaGrange Trojans. S&T shot 58.6% from the three, knocking down 17 for the most by a Miner team since November 2021.
Missouri S&T showcased an impressive performance, defeating Hannibal-LaGrange with a decisive scoreline. The game started tightly, with both teams exchanging early baskets. Missouri S&T's Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, IL/Huntley) hit the first field goal of the game, a jumper in the paint, while Hannibal-LaGrange responded with a jumper from Eddie Ambrose.
As the game progressed, Missouri S&T began to assert their dominance with timely three-pointers. Lovell Williams' (Rogers, MN/Maple Grove) three-pointer at 18:13 put the home team up 7-4. The scoring continued to flow with Alex Benassi (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit) hitting two consecutive three-pointers, while Aidan Burns (Thayer, MO/Thayer) added a fastbreak layup. Missouri S&T's offense was bolstered by solid defensive play, including key steals by Williams and Rickman, leading to fastbreak opportunities. Halfway through the first, the Miners went on a 16-3 run, fueled by a trio of three-pointers by Blaise Beauchamp (Minnetonka, MN/Hopkins) to put S&T up 40-19. By the 5-minute mark of the first half, Missouri S&T had built a commanding lead. Despite strong efforts from Hannibal-LaGrange's Kell Estep and Ambrose, the away team could not keep pace with Missouri S&T's offensive attack. A last-minute three-pointer from Chris Cross narrowed the deficit to 47-30 at the break.
In the second half, Missouri S&T quickly extended their lead with fastbreak layups by Benassi and Adam Rickman (Washington, MO/St. Francis Borgia), and a three-pointer from Ryan Sroka (Lake in the Hills, IL/Huntley), pushing the score to 52-30 just three minutes into the period. Hannibal-LaGrange struggled to find their rhythm, with multiple missed opportunities around the basket. Benassi and Rickman capitalized on this, continuing to score efficiently and build Missouri S&T's advantage to a 59-32 with just over 13 minutes left. The Miners success from behind the arc would continue through the second half, with S&T knocking down five in a stretch that would put them ahead by a game-high 37-points with around five minutes left. The Trojans would cut into the lead just enough to finish within 30 points of the Miners, ending the game at 91-62.
Benassi led the team in scoring with 17 points, going 3-of-4 from the three-point line. The Miners implemented a balanced approach, with all 15 active players seeing the floor and 12 of them recording points and rebounds.
What's Next
The Miners host Central Christian College of the Bible on Saturday at 1pm.
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