The University of Saint Mary men couldn’t overcome a slow start in their Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup at Sterling College on Thursday night, falling 91-84 despite outscoring the host Warriors in the second half.
Saint Mary is now in fifth place in the KCAC with a 6-7 conference record. The Spires are 13-10 overall. Sterling improved to 5-8 in the conference with Thursday’s win and is tied for sixth, along with Kansas Wesleyan and Tabor.
A rough first half left the Spires down 10, 45-35, at the break and USM couldn’t make up the ground in the second half.
A sharp night shooting for the Warriors helped them get five players in double figures in the game. Sterling shot 55.7 percent from the field including a 55 percent (11-for-20). Trenton Stutzman went 5-for-7 from beyond the arc to lead the Warriors with 17 points. Chad Friess added 15 for Sterling, Kenny McGrath put up 14 and Zach Goodrich and Randy July each scored 13.
USM was once again led by Eric Avant, the standout sophomore posting his fifth consecutive double double with 32 points and 10 boards. Avant was 11-for-22 from the field in the game, and 4-for-9 from 3-point range. He also went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
Brandon Dougherty, a Leavenworth grad, chipped in 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Eric Nitsche also had five assists for the Spires to go with five rebounds and 12 points. Korie Fisher also got into double figures in the game, putting up 11 points. Brian LaTorre scored six points, Jordan Bichelmeyer had five and John Hale and Derek Weatherly added two points and one point, respectively. USM was without starter JEB Greenberg, the Spires’ second-leading scorer, for Thursday’s game.
Saint Mary is back at home on Saturday, hosting Bethel at 7 p.m. USM earned a 69-60 win at Bethel in the last meeting between the two teams on Jan. 7.
