OLYMPIA, Wash. – The 15th-ranked Lewis-Clark State College men's basketball team struggled from the 3-point arc and was outrebounded for just the second time this season in an 83-71 loss to Evergreen State College at Costantino Rec Center on Wednesday night.
 
The Warriors shot a season-low 21.1 percent, 4-of-19, from beyond the 3-point arc and were outrebounded 37-28 in just the second loss this season. LCSC falls to 6-2 on the season, and 0-2 when they lose on the glass, while the Geoducks move to 1-3.
 
"In order to win on the road you have to play well and we didn't tonight," said Warriors Head Coach Brandon Rinta. "We let them get in a rhythm offensively right out of the gates and spotted them 25 points in the first 10 minutes. We have to bounce back and play better on Friday."
 
Despite the slow start it was the Warriors who took a halftime lead. LCSC shot 51.6 percent, 16-of-31, from the field and 40 percent, 4-of-10, from the 3-point arc while also converting all eight free throws in the opening 20 minutes. The defense kept ESC off the free throw line and held them to two less baskets and one less three for a 44-31 lead.
 
A Ryan Quigley layup early in the first half gave the home their first lead and sparked a 6-0 run to make it 10-5. The Geoducks led by as many as 10 points, 22-12, as late as 12:47 in the first half, but the Warriors slowly chipped away.
 
After a Taylor Drey trey made it 25-17, the Warriors scored the next nine points to retake the lead. A Christian Davis jumper started the run, Zavon Jackson followed with a pair of free throws, Jeremy Franklin drained a three to cut the margin to one and Davis capped the run with a fast break layup and a 26-25 lead.
 
Neither team scored over the next two minutes but LCSC outscored the Geoducks 18-6 over the final 6:40 of the half to build the 13-point halftime margin.
 
Unfortunately, LCSC wasn't able to take advantage of the momentum and Evergreen State flipped the tables. The Geoducks outscored the Warriors 27-14 over the first 12 minutes of the second half to reclaim the lead, 59-58. Doug McDaniel answered a Taylor Drey layup with one of his own to put LC back in front, 60-59, but a 6-0 run by the home team pushed the lead to five, 65-60 and the Geoducks never looked back.
 
After not attempting a free throw in the first half the home team tallied 22 attempts in the second half, converting 19, which included going 12-of-12 in the final 3:22 to ice the game. The Geoducks shot 60 percent in the final 20 minutes and finished the contest 29-of-57, 50.9 percent, from the field and 6-of-17, 35.3 percent, from long range.
 
LCSC meanwhile struggled after the break, going 0-for-9 from the 3-point arc and 11-of-29, 37.9 percent, from the field to go with a 5-of-8 mark from the charity stripe. The Warriors finished the contest 27-of-60, 45 percent, from the floor and 13-of-16, 81.3 percent, from the line. Lewis-Clark State also tallied more turnovers than assists for the first time this season with 16 miscues against just 12 assists.
 
Jackson led LC with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists while three other players netted double figure points. Trea Thomas and Isaiah Omamogho each tallied 13 and McDaniel finished with 11.
 
Shawn Spencer led all scorers with 24 points and Quigley finished with a double-double, scoring 12 points to go with 11 rebounds.
 
The Warriors will have a short turnaround, celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday before travelling to Portland, Ore. to wrap up the 3-game road trip. LCSC squares off against Portland Bible College in the first end of a home-and-home series on Friday, Nov. 25 at 5 p.m. before facing Warner Pacific College on Saturday at 6 p.m.