BUTTE, Mont. – LC State Men's Basketball opened the weekend at the Best Western Tip Off Classic with a big 83-60 victory over a hot Montana Western team in Butte. Grayson Hunt led the Warriors, who are receiving votes in the NAIA poll, with 22 points in a game led by LC State's senior trio.
John Lustig and Peyton Nordland each grabbed eight rebounds in the contest and contributed 20 and 16 points, respectively. Both of Nordland's totals were career highs.
"Good win for the guys," head coach Austin Johnson said. "We were able to dictate a lot of things with how we guarded and took care of the basketball. Proud of how we guarded. Lustig showed what a complete player he is on both sides of the ball. Nordland was awesome and his early 3s in the second half helped us stretch the lead. We were also able to create a great rhythm in the second half by playing through Grayson more and he was clutch down the stretch. Tomorrow will be an even tougher road test. Excited to see how we respond."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Montana Western, who upset No. 1 College of Idaho last week, seemed to have the hot hand out of the gate with a 9-0 lead after two minutes. LC State responded with a 19-3 run and did not trail for the rest of the contest.
Lustig got the scoring started and scored again after a 3-pointer by Nordland to make it a 9-7 deficit. A basket by Hunt put the Warriors in front for good, and baskets by Nordland, Josh Salguero and Brandon Suber capped the rally at 10:41 for a 19-12 LC State advantage. Hunt and Lustig combined for six straight Warriors points to push the margin to 31-23 with 4:14 left in the half.
Elijah Kersey hit a jumper and Jamare' Childs drained a 3 before free throws by Nordland and Lustig closed out the half with LC State in front 40-34.
Triples by Childs and Nordland kept the momentum with the Warriors as part of a 15-3 stretch to start the second half. Hunt accounted for 10 straight LC State points as the half went on and four straight baskets by Lustig and Hunt had the lead at 71-50 with 7:20 to play.
Free throws by Suber and a 3 by Nordland gave LC State a 78-56 cushion in the final five minutes, and tallies by Childs and Josh Salguero closed out the contest 83-60.
STAT RECAP
Hunt led the Warriors with a career-high 22 points on a 10-for-13 night from the field. Lustig added 20 points with eight boards, and Nordland notched career highs in both points (16) and rebounds (8). Nordland led the contest with four 3-pointers made.
Childs dished out a team-high three assists to go with eight points, and Dylan Skaife and Kersey each had two steals.
LC State shot 49.2% as a team, highlighted by a 50% mark in the first half, and held UMW To 34.4%. The Warriors committed just six turnovers compared to 14 by the Bulldogs.
UP NEXT
LC State continues its stay at the Best Western Tip Off Classic in Butte on Saturday against host No. 11 Montana Tech. Tip off is set for 5 p.m. PT.
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