Strong Second Half Helps Lyon Men Top MBU, 73-69

Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Lyon College junior Jordan Layrock scored in double figures for the first time in eight games and it couldn’t have come at a better time as his 20 points and seven rebounds helped the Scots to a 73-69 victory over Missouri Baptist University Tuesday night in the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports Recreation Complex. 

The victory snapped the Scots’ five-game losing skid as Lyon (4-12) picked up its first American Midwest Conference victory, improving to 1-4. The Spartans dropped to 7-10 on the season, falling back to 2-2 in conference play.

Lyon was trying to turn its fortunes from its previous four games in which the Scots built a first-half lead, only to falter in the final 20 minutes. However, the Scots trailed the Spartans, 33-32, despite hitting 42.4% (14-of-33) of their field goals in the first half, while MBU connected only 39.5% (15-of-38).

After beginning to falter early in the second half, the Scots turned the tables on the Spartans, building a 68-58 advantage with 4:44 remaining.

But Missouri Baptist wouldn’t let the Scots get away without a fight down the stretch. The Spartans cut the deficit to 71-69 with an 11-3 run at the 1:13 mark. After a Lyon timeout, the Scots ran the play-clock down until Layrock drove to the hoop, missed, and pulled down the offensive rebound with 41 seconds on the clock.

Lyon head coach Kevin Jenkins called a timeout and then called upon Devonte Young to run the next 21 seconds off the clock before calling yet another timeout. Then Rickey Williams drove the baseline and hit a reverse layup with 9.1 remaining to give LC a 73-69 advantage, which proved to be the final. 

In addition to Layrock’s 7-for-10 night from the field, Young helped the Scots’ cause by connecting on 6-of-12 shots, finishing with 13 points, three boards, three assists and a pair of steals. Williams added 10 points and tallied two rebounds and Kendall Leeks chipped in eight points and four boards off the bench.

Stephon Martinez scored five points and added four rebounds to the effort for LC, Daniel Ritchie had four points and Marcus Williams scored one. 

As a team, the Scots sank 44.3% (27-of-61) from the field, 20% (3-of-15) from behind the three-point arc and 64% (16-of-25) from the charity stripe. MBU connected on only 37.7% (29-of-77) from the field, and only 26.3% (5-of-19) from three-point territory. The Scots committed 16 turnovers, while the Spartans had 12. LC won the rebounding battle, 42-41. 

Four MBU players reached double-figure scoring. LeAndre Johnson dropped in 14 points, Adrian Kuyinu tallied 13, Kalvin Lewis pitched in 12 and Theodore King pitched in 11.

In other conference games on Tuesday night, William Woods (9-9, 5-0 AMC) blew past Williams Baptist (11-6, 2-2 AMC), 103-55, Park University (9-7, 3-2 AMC) clipped Harris-Stowe (3-15, 2-3 AMC), 72-61, and Columbia topped Hannibal-LaGrange (3-13, 0-4 AMC), 84-38.

The Scots will try to continue its winning ways on Thursday when they host Benedictine University at Springfield (Ill.) (4-12, 1-3 AMC) at 7:30 p.m. in the second half of a women/men doubleheader. LC will then face its biggest challenge of the season on Saturday, hosting undefeated and No. 1-ranked Columbia College (18-0, 4-0 AMC) at 4 p.m.

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