Eagles Use Second-half Run to Knock Off Lyon Men, 78-67

Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department

BATESVILLE, Ark. – After taking a three-point lead early in the second half, the Lyon College men’s basketball team watched Williams Baptist College go on a 22-5 run over a span of 5:09 early in the final period as the Eagles handed the Scots their second consecutive American Midwest Conference setback, a 78-67 decision in James C. Becknell Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.

The setback was Lyon’s 12th in its last 13 contests, as the Scots dropped to 3-10 on the year, 0-2 in league play. The Eagles snapped their two-game losing skid, improving to 9-5 on the season, while evening their AMC mark at 1-1.

The Scots stayed in the game throughout by forcing 22 Williams Baptist turnovers, while committing 17 on the offensive end. LC struggled from the field for the second consecutive conference matchup, hitting only 33.3% (23-of-69) from the field. After connecting only 5-of-12 (41.7%) from behind the three-point arc in the first half, the Scots struggled in the final 20 minutes, making only 3-of-16 (18.8%) to finish the game with a 28.6% (8-of-28) percentile.

Lyon also made only 13-of-21 (61.9%) shots from the charity stripe, while Williams Baptist converted 81.3% (26-of-32). The Eagles sank 24-of-53 (45.3%) from the field during the game and 4-of-9 (44.4%) from three-point land.

Williams Baptist also won the rebounding battle, 41-36.

Only one Lyon College player score in double-figures, as Devonte Young scored 11 points, while picking up a pair of rebounds. Slater Belew, Marcus Humose, Jordan McAllister and Daniel Ritchie each dropped in eight points. Humose added seven boards, Ritchie chipped in eight and Belew tallied four.

Kendall Leeks and Jordan Layrock each chipped in six points for the Scots, Rickey Thomas dropped in five, Stephon Martinez scored three and Marcus Williams and Ben Worlow each managed two points.

Chase Norwood did most of the offense damage for Williams Baptist, hitting 8-of-12 from the field, finishing with 21 points and seven boards. Kyle Harvey added 17 points and 11 rebounds, Maurice Templeton dropped in 13 points and totaled nine rebounds off the bench and Donovan Coleman scored 10 points.

Neither team was able to generate a lead greater than five points in the first 20 minutes of action. Lyon grabbed a 13-9 advantage at the 14:52 mark of the period, while the Eagles secured a five-point lead (29-24) with 5:27 on the clock. After the score was tied five times in the half, the Scots used 10 WBC turnovers to grab a 36-35 lead at the half.

Lyon grabbed a 40-37 lead with 1:13 gone in the second half, then Williams Baptist went on a 14-0 spurt over the next 5:09 to go ahead 51-40 with 13:38 on the clock. After a Jordan McAllister field goal, the Eagles continued to widen the gap, pulling out to a 63-49 lead with 5:03 remaining.

The Scots couldn’t cut the deficit below eight points – at the 2:03 mark – the rest of the way.

In other American Midwest Conference games on Saturday, Columbia College (16-0, 2-0 AMC) remained perfect on the season with a 73-59 victory over Park University (7-6, 1-1 AMC), William Woods (6-9, 2-0 AMC) stayed tied atop the league standings with a 77-60 win over Harris-Stowe (2-13, 1-1 AMC) and University of Benedictine at Springfield (4-10, 1-1 AMC) knocked off Hannibal-LaGrange (3-10, 0-1 AMC), 72-65.

Lyon College will try to get on track on Thursday night when the Scots host Park University at 7:30 p.m. in the second half of a women-men doubleheader in Becknell Gymnasium. The women’s game against the Pirates will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.