ST. LOUIS- A strong first half proved to be the difference in the game, as the Missouri Baptist men's basketball squad posted a 71-63 victory over Benedictine-Springfield. The Spartans improved to 2-8 overall and 2-0 in AMC play, while the Bulldogs fell to 5-7 and 1-1.
MBU shot an impressive 46 percent from the field, making 25-of-54 shots, including 10-of-24 from three-point range. Benedictine-Springfield shot 44 percent from the field, but made just 1-of-14 shots from deep range. The Bulldogs edged MBU in rebounds, 39-33.
Chris Buzzell led the offense with 18 points, making 6-of-14 shots from the field and 2-of-6 from deep range. Kalvin Lewis scored 15 points on 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range. He also had six rebounds and four assists. Corey McKinney led the Spartans with nine rebounds and also scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Logan Quinn led MBU with six assists and scored ten points on 2-of-6 shooting from three-point range and 4-of-8 from the charity stripe.
The Spartans shot out to a 15-2 lead over the first six minutes of the game. Kalvin Lewis drained two three-pointers during the run, while Corey McKinney chipped in five points.
Benedictine-Springfield cut the deficit to just 18-14 with 9:56 left in the half, but Logan Quinn sank two long three-pointers and Lewis splashed home another three-pointer in a span of 40 seconds. The nine point swing forced the Bulldogs to call a timeout with 8:06 left in the half and the score in favor of MBU, 27-14.
Missouri Baptist would take a 12 point lead into halftime with the score 42-30. The Spartans fired eight three-pointers in the frame, and made 15-of-27 points after the first 20 minutes of play.
Lewis led all scorers with 11 points in the half, and McKinney pulled down six rebounds.
In the second half, the Bulldogs cut the MBU lead to just five points (42-37), as they scored the first seven points of the half.
Benedictine-Springfield continued to shrink the Spartan lead, and Missouri Baptist had just a two point lead with 13:04 left in the game. Chad Smith, who played just nine minutes in the game, scored his only points of the game on a massive three-pointer that would give Missouri Baptist a 48-43 lead with 12:41 left in the game.
After Stanley Eboh's layup with 5:25 left in the game increased the MBU lead to 64-49, the Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run and cut the Spartan lead to 63-57.
Missouri Baptist was able to end the game on the winning side of the scoreboard with the score, 71-63.
