NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV — Missouri S&T battled toe-to-toe with Western Washington for 40 minutes on Saturday afternoon at the Coyote Event Center, but a late push by the Vikings proved to be the difference in an 83–76 final.
The Miners weathered an early surge from Western Washington, who opened the game with a 10-3 run. S&T steadily closed the gap, eventually catching the Vikings at 10:22 and taking a 16-15 lead. There would be six lead changes in the next few minutes, with the Miners leading by as many as four before Western Washington retook the lead with a 9-0 run. Blaise Beauchamp (Minnetonka, MN/Hopkins) scored a quick five points to put the Miners behind by just one point at 2:43, but the Vikings the half on a 7-0 run to head to the locker room up 39-31 over S&T.
Western Washington pushed their lead to eleven early in the second half, getting a three-pointer from White 31 seconds in. Cameron Stovall (St. Louis, MO/Vashon) and Andrew Young (Ballwin, MO/Marquette) combined for eight of the Miners' next ten points in the following Minutes, sparking a 10-2 run that brought S&T's deficit to just three points. The Vikings rebuilt their lead to seven points against before the Miners stormed back with a triples from Beauchamp and Alex Benassi (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit) to take a two-point lead at 54-52 after a 13-4 scoring run.
Neither team led by more than three points for the next 12 minutes, with the score being tied nine times down the stretch. Dennis Johnson III led the Vikings final surge of the game, hitting a pair of quick layups including an "and-one" in back-to-back possessions to give WWU a five point lead with 33 seconds left. The Miners were unable to answer in the final half minute, while the Vikings hit their free throws to claim the 83-76 victory
Stovall led the Miners with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Young added 17 points of his own. Beauchamp chipped in 16 points, knocking down timely threes during the Miners' second-half rally, The Miners were out rebounded 40-36 by the Vikings, resulting in the team's worst rebounding margin of the season. Contrarily, the team's 38.1% from beyond the three is one of their best of the season.
What's Next
Missouri S&T will be back home the first week of the new year, hosting William Jewell and Truman State as they return to in-conference competition.
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