LEWISTON, Idaho – A balanced attack helped the No. 5 Lewis-Clark State Men's Basketball team (24-1, 12-1) overcome a halftime deficit in the 96-87 victory over No. 11 Providence on Thursday night. Five Warriors totaled double-digits points, led by Josiah Westbrook with 24, in a contest where every Warrior scored. Damek Mitchell notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists.
 
"We knew they (Providence) were going to be at their best," Westbrook said. "We just kept grinding. My teammates found me in great places and everybody kept moving the ball. We practice that all the time and it gets you open shots. It is a great way to play ball."
 
The Argos controlled the game early, jumping out to a 7-3 advantage in the first two minutes. A 3-pointer by Hodges Bailey evened things at 11-11 with 14:32 on the clock to spark a war for the lead. Jaxon Hughes answered a UP 3-pointer with one of his own to make it 28-28 with 8:16 left in the first half, and five-straight points by Bailey kept the Warriors in front by a slim two-point margin.
 
Seven-straight by the Argos put UP back in the driver's seat as they closed out the half leading 54-47.
 
"I don't think we came out with the right focus in the first 20 minutes," Travis Yenor said. "They had it going and were cruising a little bit. We allowed them to get in a rhythm. We responded well. Coach challenged us and we responded well."
 
Free throws by Trystan Bradley evened the score at 60-60 five minutes into the second half. A triple by Bailey put LC back in front 20 seconds later, but the Argos kept the pressure on. Trailing by two midway through, Mitchell tied the game 69-69 before a basket by Jake Albright sparked an eight-point run to put LC State up 77-70.
 
Providence inched its way back within three, but a triple by Bradley swung the momentum back to the Warriors' side with 6:06 on the clock. Four free throws, two by Westbrook and two by Yenor, sealed the victory for LC State by a final of 96-87.
 
Westbrook led the Warriors with 24 points in the contest, including five 3s (5-for-8). He went 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for7 from the line. Bradley picked up 18 points and six boards, Mitchell dropped 17 points with seven rebounds and 10 assists, Bailey added 13 points and Yenor scored 11 with nine rebounds.
 
As a team, LC State shot 54.5 percent from the field and made 14 3-pointers (14-for-32). The Warriors drained 22 free throws (22-for-26).
 
Zaccheus Darko-Kelly led the game with 36 points. Brandon Cotton and Jaxen Hashley each dropped 21. Hashley notched a double-double with 11 rebounds. The Warriors held the rest of the Argos to nine points combined.
 
The Warriors host MSU-Northern on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Activity Center.