Harris-Stowe Squeaks Past Lyon College Men, 70-64

Courtesy Lyon College Athletics Department

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A poor performance at the charity stripe, combined with 21 turnovers was enough to keep the Lyon College men’s basketball team out of the win column in the Scots’ first-ever American Midwest Conference matchup as they dropped a 70-64 decision to Harrison-Stowe State University Thursday night in the Emerson Performance Center.

The setback was Lyon’s 11th in its last 12 contests, dropping the Scots to 3-9 on the season, 0-1 in AMC action. Harris-Stowe snapped its 11-game losing skid, improving to 2-12 on the year, while improving the Hornets to 1-0 in conference play.

Despite hitting 40% (10-of-25) from the field in the first half and limiting the Hornets to 35% (14-of-40), Lyon College still trailed by a 31-27 count at the break. The Scots heated up to 46.9% (15-of-32) in the final 20 minutes, but Harris-Stowe was on fire, converting 15-of-26 (57.7%) of its field goals as the Hornets outscored LC 39-37 in the final period.

The Hornets held a 39-36 advantage in rebounding only turned the ball over 14 times in the game, seven less than the Scots.

“You can’t turn the ball over as many times as we did tonight and shoot as poorly we did from the line and expect to win,” said Lyon College head coach Kevin Jenkins. “Despite the 21 turnovers, we had chance after chance after chance in the second half to take the lead and put ourselves in position to win the game, but we just didn’t get it done.”

Lyon College converted just 9-of-19 (47.4%) free throws in the contest, was was only slightly worse than Harris-Stowe’s 52.9% (9-of-17). The Scots made 43.9% (25-of-57) of its field goals for the game, including 35.7% (5-of-14) from behind the three-point arc.

Only two Scots scored in double figures. Marcus Humose dropped in 17 points, while pulling in four rebounds and handing out two assists, while Kendall Leeks was second with 11 points and six boards.

Eleven players saw action for the Scots, with Devonte Young adding seven points, Slater Belew, Marcus Williams, Jordan Layrock and Daniel Ritchie each dropping in five points, Rickey Thomas chipped in four, Jordan McAllister added three and Ben Warlow scored two.

In addition to Leeks’ six boards, Belew topped the Scots board work with seven, while Stephon Martinez added five and Humose and Layrock tallied four apiece.

Harris-Stowe converted 43.9% (29-of-66) from the field for the game, making 3-of-8 (37.5%) from behind the three-point arc and 52.9% (9-of-17) from the line.

The Hornets had a balanced scoring attack, with Dallis Johnson lead the team with 17 points and 10 boards. Jordan Loveless added 12 points and nine rebounds before fouling out, Kevin Kramer scored 11 points and wayne Brown contributing 10 points. James Kenner chipped in eight points and eight rebounds, while dishing out seven assists.

In other AMC action on Thursday, Columbia College (15-0, 1-0 AMC) outlasted Williams Baptist College (8-5, 0-1 AMC), 70-56, Park University (7-5, 1-0 AMC) outdistanced Missouri Baptist (5-9, 0-1), 96-66, and William Woods (5-9, 1-0 AMC) clipped Benedictine University at Springfield (3-10, 0-1 AMC), 66-64.

Lyon College will return home for its league opener on Saturday afternoon when the Scots battle Williams Baptist College at 4 p.m. in James C. Becknell Gymnasium. The game will be part of a women-men double-header. The Lyon women’s game will tip off at 2 p.m.