Brescia's inside game too much for Eutectics

On Saturday afternoon at the UHSP Gymnasium, the UHSP Eutectics entertained a Brescia Bearcats team that was playing their opening game of the 2023-24 season. The Bearcats maintained an unbeaten stretch against the Eutectics with a 130-90 win and are now 10-0 against UHSP since 2002.

The Bearcats put the Eutectics on their heels early scoring the games' first six points in less than a minute and were much more the aggressor. The Eutectics were able to settle into the Bearcat pressure and eventually take an early lead 7-6 on a layup from Moctar Keita. The rest of the first half featured UHSP trying to use the three to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bearcats. Brescia shot 56% in the first half connecting on 19 field goals while the home club did shoot 52%, but made just 14 field goals. UHSP was 6-of-16 for the half from beyond the arc while Brescia made just one first-half three. Late in the half, Brescia led 46-40 after a couple of Landon Engelage free throws when the Cats took their first double-digit lead by scoring six straight to go up 52-40 capped by a Ksaun Casey layup. Casey was a problem inside for the Eutectics in the first half, leading all scorers with 24 points as Brescia led 55-46 at the break.

It could not have been a better start to the second half for the home club. After Jas Suvalija and Casey traded buckets, the Eutectics connected on a pair from deep to get right back in the game. Engelage and Suvalija each drilled a three and the Eutectics had some early second-half momentum to pull within three at 57-54. But the issue that UHSP had in dealing with Casey in the first half, not only continued in the second half, but spread to a number of the other Bearcats as well. The next seven shots that Brescia hit were all layups and after a Casey old-fashioned three-point play following yet another point-blank shot, Brescia's lead was again back to double-figures at 72-61. The Eutectics tried to hang in with perimeter shooting as an RJ Steckler triple made it a ten-point game at 74-64. But Brescia would go on a 15-4 run and it spelled the beginning of the end for the Purple and Gold.

Ksaun Casey had a night scoring 52 points on 22-of-29 shooting including a three pointer, along with ten rebounds. Taeron Hogg added 25 points for the Cats who shot 63.6% from the floor. Jas Suvalija led the Eutectics with 20 points and Landon Engelage added 19 for the Eutectics who shot 48.2% from the floor. Dwight Newsome was 11-for-12 from the line for UHSP and added 14 points and 5 assists while Moctar Keita chipped in with 10 points. UHSP unloaded 32 three-point shots connecting on 13 (40.6%) while Brescia was 6-of-13 from deep (46.2%). Brescia outrebounded UHSP 40-17 and also held a 78-24 advantage on points-in-the-paint.

It is back-to-back road games for the Eutectics (1-5) to close out November as they play at St. Mary of the Woods on Tuesday and then play at Fontbonne the Thursday after Thanksgiving. The Eutectics next home game is Saturday, Dec. 4 against Bethel.