Eutectics Remain Undefeated after Victory over Fontbonne

With Monday night's 97-82 victory over the Fontbonne University Griffins (Mo.)(0-4), the Eutectic men's basketball team won its fifth-straight game of 2024-25 season to match the program's best-ever season start.

The 15-point victory was hard-fought for the Eutectics, who converted 34 shots on 61 attempts for an impressive 55.7 field goal percentage. The Purple and Gold were equally impressive at the charity stripe, sinking 20 of 24 free throws for 83.3% as a team. The UHSP offense made up for the Griffins' 45-37 advantage on the boards, including 21 FBU offensive rebounds. Defensive pressure from both teams caused an equal distribution of 43 turnovers in the game along with 47 total fouls.

The Eutectics were the first to mark the board with a layup by Brock Davis assisted by Moctar Keita. While the home team had the advantage for the first five minutes, a triple from Fontbonne's Kendall Horton (from Jordan Lewis) pulled the Griffins ahead 13-11 at 14:30. The Griffins maintained a minimal lead as the Eutectics played catchup for the next seven minutes. A three from Bryant Odynayo (assisted by Jasmin Suvalija) tied the score at 25 apiece at 7:19. Then, Suvalija drained his own triple (from Dwight Newsome) to finally regain the lead for the Eutectics at 28-27 with 6:37 left in the first half. The Eutectics rode the momentum, pulling ahead by 10 points (40-30) after a series of made free throws. But the Griffins clawed their way back to within two points at 40-38 with two minutes left. A three from Suvalija followed by a layup from David Moore gave the home team some breathing room before the break with a halftime score of 45-38.

Five minutes into the second half, however, Fontbonne's Lewis and Horton were at it again with a triple and a layup to retake the lead for the Griffins at 50-49. After a few minutes of battling, a layup from Odunayo, followed by a steal by Ahian Barnett to set up Davis for a layup, put the Euts up for good at 61-56. Barnett followed that up with a triple of his own (assisted by Landon Engelage), adding some cushion for the Euts. The Griffins would narrow the deficit to two (66-64) at 8:44 with back-to-back layups. But Suvalija responded with another three, and the Purple and Gold would not allow the Griffins within five points of them again as time ran out.

Ahian Barnett led the Eutectics with 23 points, including 4-of-4 free throws, while adding three assists, three steals, and six rebounds. Jasmin Suvalija made five three-point field goals and totaled 19 points on the night. Dwight Newsome scored 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and added five assists. Moctar Keita put up 14 points and eight rebounds. Bryant Odunayo also reached double figures with 11 points for UHSP. Brock Davis (8), Yigit Ekinci (3), and David Moore (2) also scored for the Eutectics.

Kaden Augustine tallied a double double for the Griffins with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Charles Nelson led Fontbonne in scoring with 25 points.

With their historic start to the season, the Eutectics will head into their first American Midwest Conference (AMC) matchup with an undefeated record (5-0). They will face AMC newcomer Crowley's Ridge College (3-2) in Paragould, Ark., on Thursday, Nov. 21, for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.