KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Lewis-Clark State College held LSU-Alexandria scoreless for almost four of the final five minutes of their first-round NAIA Men's Basketball  Championship game at Municipal Auditorium. But at the same time, the Warriors weren't able to gain any offensive momentum and the Generals escaped with the 77-71 victory Wednesday morning.
 
In some ways, the sprint to the finish was like so many other Warrior games this season.
 
"It seems like every other game we were playing from behind," said coach Brandon Rinta, whose teams have had 22 or more victories for seven seasons in a row, "and more often than not, this team found a way to win. There was never any quit in them and today was another example of that."
 
LC scored the first basketball of the game but the Generals went on to score 11 straight before Trea Thomas broke the drought with a short-range jumper with 16:34 left in the first half. That started a steady climb back into contention with the Warriors tying the game at 27 on Cory Dollarhide's 3-point goal with 7:41 remaining in the first.
 
The Warriors led on occasion from that point on but never could put together the run they needed to take control.
 
"It took us a while to find our rhythm out of the gates today," Rinta said. "We dug ourselves a hole, but being who this team is, they stuck together and battled back to get the lead.
 
"I felt like we were in a good place at halftime, knowing what we needed to do in the second half. Unfortunately, we turned it over too much and sent them to the free throw line too much in the second half. Those two things hurt us more than anything."
 
Key in the Warriors making a comeback were Dollarhide, who finished with 16 points, and Dana Abe, who led LC with 21 points and five rebounds.
 
"They gave us a big boost off the bench," Rinta said. "They came up with some big, timely baskets that kept us in position to win."
 
One of those times was a Dollarhide jumper with 1:09 to play that cut LSU-A's lead to 69-66.  The Generals responded with 55 seconds to play to make it 71-66. In the final 32 seconds, they connected on six free throws to secure their opportunity to advance to the Round of 16.
 
"With all that being said," Rinta said, "I am so proud of what this team has accomplished this season. Five guys on our rosters couldn't play this year because of injuries or they had season-ending injuries. These 10 guys stuck together and kept getting better and better all year."
 
Race Martin was a mainstay throughout the season and finished with 14 points and four rebounds. So, too, were Thomas and his fellow senior Jeremy Franklin. Thomas closed his LC career as the all-time assist leader and the player who has played in the most games ever in a Warrior uniform. He finished with five points and six assists. Franklin, who was sidelined with an injury last season, had two points and three rebounds.
 
"We're going to miss having Jeremy and Trea as part of our program," Rinta said. "Trea is leaving a tremendous legacy as a Warrior. For him to be walking away as the all-time leader in assists and games played says all you need to know about what he has meant to this program."
 
While his time with the Warriors wasn't as long, Franklin left his impact as well.
 
"For Jeremy to have the injury he had last year and turned around and have the senior season he had says a lot about his dedication to his team and his teammates," Rinta said.