WBU Downs UHSP in Arkansas

WALNUT RIDGE, ARK. - The Eutectic men's basketball team finished off a road trip to Arkansas on Saturday with an American Midwest Conference (AMC) matchup against the Williams Baptist University Eagles (13-10, 5-7 AMC). The Eagles had a 1-0 advantage over UHSP in the AMC home-and-home series coming into Saturday's game and finished the day with a sweep, defeating the Eutectics 103-58.

The Eagles jumped right out of the gate with a 10-0 lead before Moctar Keita marked the board for the Eutectics with a layup assisted by Dwight Newsome. Halfway through the period, a layup by Kyan Arrandale put the score at 31-13, and after another five minutes the home team boasted a 43-17 lead.  The Eutectics scored another 10 points in the last five minutes of the half off layups from Sean Paradise Jr. (2), Arrandale, Newsome, and Keita to end the half down 50-27.

The Eutectics outrebounded the Eagles 24-22 in the first half, but defensive pressure from WBU forced 14 turnovers from the visitors to allow 13 more shots by the home team. The Eutectics also struggled with perimeter shooting, going 0-7 from the arc, while the Eagles drained 12-of-26 threes.

The Eutectics limited their turnovers to five in the second period, but WBU dominated the boards 27-12, draining another five of their 18 field goals from behind the arc. The Eagles outscored the Euts 53-31 in the second half for the 103-58 victory.

Williams Baptist made 17-of-42 threes in the game, while the Eutectics struggled with accuracy at 1-for-17 from the perimeter. The Purple and Gold scored 40 of their 58 points from the paint, while sinking 9-of-13 free throws. WBU forced 19 turnovers that they converted to 33 points towards the win.

Keita led the Eutectics on offense with 11 points, adding seven rebounds and a block. Newsome recorded 10 points, while Ahian Barnett (9), Braylon Rios (8), Paradise Jr. (6), Brady Bowers (6), Landon Engelage (4), and Arrandale (4) accounted for the rest of the UHSP points. Engelage grabbed eight boards, Arrandale picked off three steals, and Rios knocked down two blocks.

Duke Hardin led the Eagles with 28 points.

The Eutectics, now 1-24 overall and 0-13 in the AMC, have one game left in the regular season. On Saturday, Feb. 24, they play host to Hannibal-LaGrange University (Mo.)(6-16, 3-10 AMC) at 3 p.m. in the UHSP gymnasium.