Matthews and Beyer have big day in win over Fontbonne

A good recipe to win basketball games: have a record-setting day shooting the ball and play pretty good defense. That was the formula the Eutectics used in a 97-75 win over Fontbonne to snap a two-game losing skid. It was only the second time since 2002 that the two clubs had met with the Griffins pulling out a two-point win in a 2019 meeting.

The points were the third-most that UHSP has ever scored in a game.  Their all-time record is 112 against Central Christian on Oct. 30, 2018. Fourteen days after that, they dumped 98 on Principia. The Eutectics opened last season on Oct. 28 putting up 95 against Kansas Wesleyan which stood as the third-most in a single game in program history until today. UHSP was an eye-popping 15-for-29 (51.7%) from beyond the three-point arc, matching the second-most threes they have ever made in a contest. They also made 15 on Feb. 13, 2020 against Stephens. Their program record is 16 made triples set on Feb. 29, 2020 against Central Baptist. Karsyn Morgan missed a three with 2:01 left that would have matched their all-time record, but it was Morgan who connected for their 15^th made three just :24 seconds earlier.

A second quarter barrage from the perimeter gave the Eutectics some separation as the Purple and Gold went 7-of-9 from distance in the quarter after making just two of their six threes in the first quarter. That turned a 19-16 UHSP lead at the end of one into a 46-32 lead at the break as Fontbonne shot just 28.6% (10-for-35) in the first half. The home club had 14 assists on 17 made field goals in the first half.

The game was tied four times in the first quarter, lastly at 13-13 when Griffins leading scorer Ja'mise Bailey knocked down a thee with 2:45 left in the quarter to cap a personal stretch of scoring six straight for FBU. The Eutectics came out hot in the second quarter as they opened the period on a 14-4 run thanks in part to a Grace Beyer triple followed by three consecutive Samantha Matthews threes. A pair of Beyer free throws capped that run to put the home club on top 33-20. A pair of Amaya Earls foul shots got the Griffins within single digits at 38-29, but the Eutectics capped the period on three-pointers from Matthews and Beyer with a Payten Foster layup in between.

Fontbonne narrowed the deficit to seven early in the third as Kya Harbour hit a corner three to make it 51-44 with 6:38 remaining. Grace Beyer would put up a 17-point third quarter for UHSP though including scoring ten straight for her club at one point as the Euts led 74-59 after three. UHSP would finish it off in the fourth quarter as Beyer's three with 5:29 left gave the Eutectics their first 20-point lead at 83-63.

Grace Beyer had a near triple-double with 46 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists while Fontbonne's leading scorer Ja'mise Bailey led her club with 20 points, eight boards and four helpers. Samantha Matthews finished with 23 points knocking down seven of her ten attempted threes. Seven threes in a game matches the second-most for a Eutectic ever, one shy of the all-time record of eight held by Emi Santhuff (Jan. 21, 2014) and Michon Forrest (Feb. 29, 2020). Matthews joins Santhuff, Makenzie Schierding and Allanach as Eutectics that have drilled seven threes in a game. Beyer finished the game one behind Matthews with six made threes.

For the game, UHSP made just under half their field goal attempts going 32-for-65 (49.2%) while Fontbonne shot 35.5% (22-of-62). While the Eutectics were lighting it up from three for the day, the Griffins battled through an 8-for-30 day from deep (26.7%). The game featured 47 total free throws with the Euts making 18-of-19 (94.7%) while the Griffs were 23-of-28 (82.1%). Rebounds were even at 35-each and turnovers were minimal as FBU had seven and UHSP had just three.

The Eutectics moved back to the .500 mark with the win as they sit now 5-5 and open American Midwest Conference play coming up on Thursday when they host neighboring Harris-Stowe before Stephens comes to town on Saturday.