Neither team ever led by more than seven, but Pioneers prevail

PARAGOULD, AR – Crowley's Ridge held off a stingy UHSP bunch in an AMC contest on Thursday, 72-67. The Pioneers did it thanks to rebounds and free throws as the Eutectics made more field goals and free throws than CRC. Landon Engelage led all scorers with 25 points for the Eutectics but it was not enough as the Pioneers won for the third straight time over UHSP and eight of the last nine.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

CROWLEY'S RIDGE 72, UHSP 67

• Not quite seven minutes into the contest, UHSP fell behind by six at 12-6. Threes from Landon Engelage and Jasmin Suvalija along with buckets from Suvalija, David Moore and Dylan Merkle helped get the Eutectics back to even at 18-18 with 7:52 left in the half. 2:41 later a basket by Braylon Rios gave UHSP their first lead, albeit brief at 22-20. CRC went on an 11-2 run to grab a 31-24 lead with :33 left. Another Suvalija triple made it a 31-27 game at the half.
• Just over six minutes into the second half, a Cam Miller layup gave the Pioneers a seven-point lead at 42-35. UHSP stiffened getting a pair of layups from Moore and three buckets from Engelage, two from perimeter as UHSP led 47-46 with 10:28 to go. After a couple of Moore free throws to make it 52-51, CRC went on a 6-0 run to give the home club again a seven-point advantage at 58-51 with 6:51 remaining. Again, the Eutectics battled back to within one on a pair of Bryant Odunayo free throws at 60-59. UHSP could never get it tied or take the lead over the final 4:01 as Miller salted the game away with a couple of foul shots in the waning seconds.
• The Eutectics shot 48.1% from the floor going 25-of-52 while the Pioneers were 24-of-67 (35.8%). UHSP made six threes to CRC's four.
• The foul line proved to be a big difference as Crowley's Ridge went 20-of-29 (69.0%) with UHSP going 11-of-16 (68.8%).
• The Pioneers held a 47-28 rebound advantage.
• Jasmin Suvalija was the only other Eutectic in double figures with 12 points. He added a team-high seven rebounds, five steals and two assists.
• Cole Nichols led Crowley's Ridge with 17 points and Azani Smith had 15. Nichols had a double-double with 14 rebounds.
• CRC's largest lead was seven, while UHSP's biggest lead was just one. The game offered five ties and six lead changes.
• Crowley's Ridge leads the all-time series 9-6.

NEXT UP:

UHSP (3-13, 0-3 AMC) finishes out a four-game road trip on Saturday when they visit Williams Baptist (11-2, 1-1 AMC) at 3:00p.