ROLLA, MO -- Missouri S&T Men's Basketball hosted the best team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference on Thursday night, taking on nationally-ranked Rockhurst University on Greek Night in Gibson Arena. The game came down to the wire, with S&T getting a pair of last second opportunities to upset the Hawks before falling 65-64.
The Miners and #23 Rockhurst were locked into a low-scoring contest early, with both teams struggling from the three-point line early. Layups by
Andrew Young (Ballwin, MO/Marquette) and
Oliver Kokal (Chesterfield, MO/Parkway Central) gave the Miners their largest lead of the half at 11:05 at 11-7. Rockhurst's Jaylen Wesley responded with the first made three of the game, sparking a 19-3 scoring run that gave the Hawks their largest lead of the game at 26-14 in the final minutes of the first.
Blaise Beauchamp (Minnetonka, MN/Hopkins) led a late charge by the Miners to cut the deficit to six in the last three minutes, hitting a three and a jumper while also grabbing a steal to send the game to half at 27-21.
S&T continued their scoring run in the second half, getting a triple from
Garrett Hines (Nixa, MO/Nixa) and another jumper from Beauchamp to make it a one point game in the early minutes. The Hawks responded with a quick 6-0 to push the lead back to seven at 17:15. The Miners would tie the game at 12:40, responding to a Rockhurst three-pointer with a 7-0 run that featured four points from
Cameron Stovall (St. Louis, MO/Vashon) and a triple by
Alex Benassi (Lee's Summit, MO/Lee's Summit).
The Miners match the Hawks shot for shot in the following minutes, leading to five ties in the ensuing minutes. Benassi would give the Miners their first lead of the game at 50-47, knocking down his third triple in a four minute span.
Adam Rickman (Washington, MO/St. Francis Borgia) and Young helped push the Miners lead to five a couple minutes later.
Rockhurst retook the lead at 57-56 with a layup by Wesley at 3:03. The Miners never allowed the Hawks to lead by more than three though and tied the game at 62-62 with 57 seconds left after a layup by Young. The Miners got a stop on the other end of the court, getting a rebound from Young who would miss a layup on the other end before Stovall tipped in a layup to put S&T ahead with 17 seconds left. Rockhurst's Wesley would find teammate Jaden Flournoy at the left wing on the other end though, knocking down a three that gave them a 65-64 lead with 6.8 seconds remaining. The Miners got two shots off at the opposite end with the second shot coming on a tip-in attempt by Young but neither would go as Rockhurst survived by one point.
Young led the Miners with 16 points and 10 rebounds, picking up his fifth double-double of the season. Benassi and Beauchamp each scored 11, shooting a combined .500 from the three with four on eight attempts. Stovall tied his career-high for steals in a game with four.
What's Next
The Miners host Southwest Baptist at 3pm on Saturday for Military Appreciation day.
Sign up for our email blast at https://minerathletics.com/subscribe.aspx
Follow Miners men's basketball on X and Instagram at @Miners_MBB
