LEWISTON, Idaho – It wasn't easy, but nothing in the Frontier Conference ever is. The No. 5 Lewis-Clark State Warriors picked up their 11^th conference victory of the season, 23^rd overall, after a grueling battle with the Montana Tech Orediggers. Ahead by one at the half, the Warriors used a big second to gain momentum and pull away for the win.
 
"We try to win in a lot of different ways," junior Travis Yenor said. No game is the same, and that was a grinder. We played back-to-back nights; back-to-back 40-minutes games. We are tougher together."
 
LC State opened the contest with five-straight from Josiah Westbrook. The senior guard hit a 3 less than a minute in and followed that up with a pair of free throws. Buckets from Trystan Bradley and Yenor grew the advantage to six points (10-4) by 15:24, but the Diggers began to chip away.
 
With 4:37 left in the first half, a 3-pointer by Tech put the Orediggers in front 25-24. Bradley brought LC State within one with a minute left, and a pair of free throws by Hodges Bailey gave the Warriors a 33-32 lead at the break.
 
Bradley hit a 3 to kick start the second frame, and a three-point play by Damek Mitchell at 13:57 head the Warriors up 47-40. A run by Tech put the Diggers back in front 54-53, but after three free throws from Yenor to give LC a 58-56 lead the Warriors never looked back.
 
The score stayed tight until a free throw by Khalil Stevenson sparked an eight-point run. Threes from Bailey and Westbrook widened the gap to 10 (77-67) by 1:40, and Mitchell closed things out with four foul shots to make it 81-67.
 
Mitchell led the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out a game-high seven assists. Westbrook totaled 15 points, Yenor had 13, Bradley scored 12 and Bailey and Stevenson each added 11.
 
As a team the Warriors shot 46.7 percent from the field. They hit seven 3s and 18 free throws.
 
"We hit a couple big 3s but we also made free throws," Yenor said. "We made a couple big shots but it was also the defensive stops that helped us."
 
Taylor England led the Orediggers with 18 points. Cody Baumstarck grabbed seven rebounds.
 
"On the defensive end, we killed their will and that really had an impact. That was a very physical game," Mitchell stated. "The tougher team won."
 
The home stand continues on Thursday when the Warriors host No. 11 Providence at 7:30 p.m. in the Activity Center.