DILLON, Mont. – The (RV) UMW men's basketball program (13-3, 8-2 FC) persevered for a close 77-70 victory over a pesky MSU-Northern (10-6, 5-5 FC) squad Friday evening in Straugh Gymnasium.
The game featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes as the Bulldogs pulled away late to secure the seven-point victory.
STAT BREAKDOWN
Western shot 42.2 percent (27-64) from the floor, 50.0 percent (11-22) from beyond the arc, and 92.3 percent (12-13) from the foul line.
The Bulldogs registered 39 rebounds, 12 assists, three blocks, and two steals
They posted 18 points in the paint, six points off turnovers, 13 second-chance points, and 24 bench points.
LEADERBOARD
Kyle Gruhler led the team with 19 points, with
Emanuel Steward (18) and
Joshua Whiteside (11) also reaching double figures.
Joshua Whiteside led all players with eight rebounds while Steward topped the team in assists (six).
Billy Carlson and
Kolter Merritt each snagged a steal for UMW.
Steward,
Jacob Ankeny, and Whiteside swatted one block apiece.
NOTABLES
Western posted 10 or more steals for the 10th consecutive game.
The Bulldogs shot a season-best 92.3 percent from the foul line.
Every player who saw the court scored and tallied a rebound.
Gruhler drained five threes for the fifth time on the campaign.
Steward reached six steals for the fourth time in the last five games.
Whiteside scored in double figures for the sixth time.
GAME SUMMARY
The two sides traded buckets through the majority of the opening 20 minutes, with neither team able to lead by more than five.
It was knotted 37-37 as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
UMW shot 38.2 percent (13-34) from the field (61.5 percent (8-13) from distance, and 100.0 percent (3-3) from the stripe in the first half.
The second half continued in much the same manner as the teams fought for lasting control.
Energizing dunks from Ankeny and timely threes from Gruhler helped Western outscore the visitors 15-8 over the final six minutes of regulation to seal the win.
Despite poor shooting from three, the Lights poured in 52 points in the paint to prevent the Bulldogs from running away with the contest.
THE OTHER GUYS
The Lights shot 44.4 percent (28-63) from the floor, 76.5 percent from the foul line (13-17), and just 5.9 percent (1-17) from beyond the arc in the contest. They earned 36 rebounds, 12 assists, three blocks, and four steals. Leon Sayers IV led all players with 22 points, followed by Tracen Jilot (15), Claysen Delp (11), and Raefe McEnroe (10). Oskar Pula pulled down a team-best seven boards and Delp recorded game-bests in both assists (eight) and steals (two). Sayers IV, Jilot, and Delp each earned one block.
LOOKING AHEAD
Western is back on the court tomorrow at 7 p.m. MT when they welcome Providence to Straugh Gymnasium.
For complete coverage of UMW Men's Basketball, be sure to follow us on social media at @umwesternbball (Instagram), @UMWesternBball (X), and @Montana Western Men's Basketball (Facebook) or visit our official website at UMWBulldogs.com.
#GOBULLDOGS!
