LCSC men can’t miss in upset victory vs. Eastern Oregon

LA GRANDE, Ore. — You’ve heard of the guys who pretty much couldn’t miss? That pretty much was the story of the Lewis-Clark State men’s basketball team Saturday.

The Warriors hit an eye popping 65.2% from the field as they took down Eastern Oregon 86-79 in a Cascade Conference contest at Quinn Coliseum.

“Very proud and happy for our guys,” coach Austin Johnson said. “We stuck with our team principles and made extra-effort plays. Each guy was doing all that they could to help the guy next to them.”

Sophomore guard Davian Brown had 24 points, four rebounds and four assists for the Warriors (10-11, 7-8), who have won three of their past four games and four of six overall to move into seventh place in the conference. Freshman guard John Lustig, a former Colfax standout, chipped in 21 points, four rebounds and four assists. Freshman forward Grayson Hunt, a former Pullman standout, added 17 points and four rebounds.

“Davian was fantastic,” Johnson said. “John and Grayson got off to slow starts but responded like big-time players once they settled down.”

Phillip Malatare tallied 33 points and five rebounds for the Mountaineers (14-7, 11-4), who are in the second place in the conference. Preston Chandler tallied 14 points. Malachi Afework had 13 points.

Former Lapwai standout and Idaho State transfer Emmit Taylor played just 12 minutes and did not score.

Eastern Oregon scored the first six points of the game, but LCSC countered right back with a 15-0 run and never lost the lead again. Brown scored the first five points of the spurt as the Warriors took a surprising nine-point advantage with 11:10 to go before halftime.

The Mountaineers got within 26-22 with 4:17 left, but Brown’s 3 with 1:04 remaining gave LCSC an 11-point edge. The Warriors went into the locker room up 38-31.

LCSC shot 15-of-26 in the first half, including 6-for-10 from distance, and it only was a precursor as to what was to come in the final 20 minutes.

The Warriors tallied the first 10 points of the second half to take a commanding 48-31 advantage with 17:51 left. Lustig had five points and Brown three in the run.

LCSC increased its lead to 57-38 at the 12:50 mark on a jumper by sophomore guard Oreon Courtney, but Eastern Oregon went on a 21-6 surge in the next six minutes to close within 64-59 on Malatare’s jumper.

As quickly, the Warriors knocked their lead back out to 15 at 74-59 with another 10-point spurt, capped by senior guard Keegan Crosby’s 3. The Mountaineers got it within five late but never could get over the hump.

LCSC finished the game 30-for-46 overall, including 15-of-20 in the second half, and was 9-for-15 from 3-point range. Conversely, Eastern Oregon was 28-for-60 (46.7%) from the field, and 11-of-26 (42.3%) from distance.

The Warriors next play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Walla Walla.

LEWIS-CLARK STATE (10-11, 7-8)

Brown 7-8 5-6 24, Lustig 7-10 4-6 21, Hunt 7-11 3-4 17, Crosby 2-4 2-2 7, Bennion 0-4 0-0 0, Courtney 4-4 0-4 8, Newsom 2-3 3-4 7, Stockton 1-1 0-0 2, Chaney 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-46 17-26 86.

EASTERN OREGON (14-7, 11-4)

Malatare 13-22 5-6 33, Chandler 4-8 2-2 14, Huddleston 2-5 2-2 8, Orr 2-4 0-0 5, Valdez 0-3 0-2 0, Afework 4-9 3-4 13, Dill 2-3 0-1 4, McGinnis 1-2 0-0 2, Taylor 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 28-60 12-17 79.

Halftime — Lewis-Clark State, 38-31. 3-point goals — Lewis-Clark State 9-15 (Brown 5-5, Lustig 3-3, Crosby 1-2, Chaney 0-1, Bennion 0-4), Eastern Oregon 11-26 (Chandler 4-7, Huddleston 2-4, Malatare 2-5, Afework 2-5, Orr 1-3, Taylor 0-2). Rebounds — Lewis-Clark State 32 (Crosby 8), Eastern Oregon 23 (Dill 8). Assists — Lewis-Clark State 13 (Brown, Lustig 4), Eastern Oregon 10 (Malatare, Huddleston, Afework 2). Total fouls — Lewis-Clark State 18, Eastern Oregon 22. A — N/A.