WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men's basketball team snagged its first win of the season when It defeated Southern Minnesota State University at the Central Region Tipoff in Warrensburg, Missouri, 70-55. The Weevils had five players tally at least 10 points as they shot 43.1 percent from the field.  
 
The game was tightly contested in the first half with the largest lead being seven points, but the second period was a different story as the Weevils pulled away late thanks to play from Justin Slocum, Denzel McDuffey and KJ Lesure who put together big-time second half performances.
 
In the first period, there were six lead changes as it was mostly a back and forth affair with both teams shooting the ball fairly well. As we came to the final four minutes of the half, UAM and SMSU were tied at 22. Marcus Gilbert erased that tie with a fastbreak layup to give the Weevils a two-point lead.
 
Following another quick tie, it was Gilbert again who got a bucket and a foul, and he completed the three-point play. One play later, McDuffey got himself a steal and took it all the way for a basket to put the Weevils ahead, 29-24.
 
The Mustangs cut it to a four-point deficit, but a three-point basket from Austin Hardy took the lead to seven points.
 
To close out the period, McDuffey got to the line to keep the lead at seven hitting both free throws and making it a 34-27 contest.
 
The Mustangs got to the line in the final seconds of the half, but missed one of the two free throws, and the Weevils took a 34-28 lead into the break.
 
Eight and a half minutes into the second period, SMSU got back in the contest to make it a two-point Weevil lead, but UAM remained resilient and turned the tide. Gilbert would make a pair of baskets to make it a five-point advantage, but SMSU then got four back with 9:40 remaining.
 
With 7:52 remaining, the Weevils took over after a steal from Lesure. Slocum would hit a layup in the paint, and McDuffey would follow with a basket of his own to make it a five-point advantage.
 
The Weevils extended that lead to double digits in the final three minutes with another basket from Slocum, and Hardy later hit a dagger of a three-pointer to put UAM ahead by 14, 63-49.
 
UAM's lead swelled to 17 at one point late in the half after a pair of free throws from Lesure. SMSU did cut into it for a bit, but the Weevils went on to win by fifteen, with a score of 70-55.
 
Lesure, Slocum, Gilbert, McDuffey and Hardy each tallied double-digits in points, while McDuffey got himself a nice double-double in the process snagging 10 rebounds.
 
Lesure and Slocum finished with 14 points apiece to lead UAM scorers. Lesure also added a pair of assists and three steals to the stat line, while Slocum finished two rebounds shy of a double-double.
 
UAM shot 43.1 percent from the floor in the game and were 83.3 percent from the free throw line.
 
The Weevils get their first win of the season and improve to 1-1 overall.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will return to Monticello for its home-opener against Champion Christian College on Saturday, November 16 at 4 p.m.