Eutectics Defeat Saints for First Win of the Season

The Eutectic men's basketball team earned its first win of the season on Saturday, defeating the Central Christian College of the Bible Saints from Moberly, Mo., 98-92 in front of a large home crowd in the UHSP gymnasium.

Coming into the game, the Eutectics held a 3-2 edge over the Saints (4-2 overall this season) in head-to-head play since 2012, winning the previous meeting last January, 89-82.

The Eutectics fell behind early, with the Saints draining two threes and a bucket in the first minute-and-a-half of play to lead 8-2. A slam dunk from Moctar Keita, following a consecutive triple and layup by Brady Bowers, gave the Euts their first lead of the game at 9-8 two minutes later. The Saints maintained their composure and regained the lead with remarkable accuracy from the floor, going up 17-22 after another Nolan Mathes triple at 13:14. The Eutectics made a seven-point run, with Jas Suvalija serving up a three, a layup, and assist to Landon Engelage to put the home team ahead 32-29 at 8:26. When the Saints overtook the Euts again at 37-34, it was Suvalija, again, who made the triple to tie it up, then fed the ball to Bowers for a layup to 39-37. After a CCCB layup retied it, Bowers drilled a shot from the arc to put the Euts up 42-39 with 2:48 on the clock. A Saints layup closed the gap a bit, but two made free-throws from Dwight Newsome sealed the lead for the Eutectics as they headed into intermission up 44-41.

The Eutectics maintained the momentum into the second half, going on a 16-7 run in the first four minutes of play to take a 12-point lead (60-48), including 6-for-6 from the line. The Purple and Gold continued their offensive charge, going up by as much as 14 points as the Saints floundered. CCCB made a bit of a surge in the final two-and-a-half minutes of the game, coming within four points (90-86) after two made free-throws by James Quincy, Jr. But, UHSP's Keita drew a foul from Quincy, Jr., for an and-one in the final minute of play that secured the lead for the Euts. The Saints dropped in three more buckets, but Bowers and Newsome combined for five points at the free-throw line in those final seconds to hold on for the win at 98-92.

21 of the Eutectic points came from the charity stripe for an 80.8% average, while the Saints only managed 10. Landon Engelage had four of UHSP's 10 steals on the night, as the Eutectics forced 18 Saints' turnovers and committed only seven.

Jas Suvalija lit up the perimeter draining 5-of-8 threes, going 8-for-12 from the floor, and 3-for-3 from the line for 24 points. Brady Bowers dropped in 19 points and added eight assists. Landon Engelage and Moctar Keita each earned double doubles on the night. Engelage had 16 points, 11 rebounds, while Keita recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds. Dwight Newsome also reached double digits in scoring with 11. Braylon Rios (7), Kyan Arrandale (5), and Sean Paradise Jr. (1) also scored for the Eutectics.

Raheem Brizendine led the Saints in scoring with 25 points along with seven rebounds. Caleb Reger had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Eutectics, now 1-3, will return to their home court on Tuesday, Nov. 14, when they host Principia College at 7 p.m.