Wildcats Start Hot, Survive Spires’ Second-Half Run to Defeat Saint Mary, 77-71

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – After holding the Spires to 22 points in the first half, Baker fended off a second-half rally to come away with a 77-71 victory on the road at Saint Mary on Wednesday night in Leavenworth, Kan. in the final non-conference game of the season for BU.

The Wildcats shot nearly 50 percent from the field (27-for-55) and used an electric first half that saw them hit four 3-pointers to carry a 23-point lead into halftime. The Spires erased their double-digit deficit in the second half, getting as close as four points before BU was able to hold on for its second straight road win.

Ty Henry led Baker with a season-high 18 points after going a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc and was joined in double figures by Korey Jones (13) and Dylan Smith (12) with Smith hitting a couple of threes as well.

Baker got off to a roaring start to begin the game, opening up with a 19-4 stretch in the first five minutes with Quentin Harvey converting a three-point play to score the game's first points. Smith and Henry connected on back-to-back triples to keep BU's lead at 15 points through the midway point of the first half.

Smith added his second three of the opening half to put Baker on top, 35-17 with 5:46 left until halftime as the Wildcats continued to pad their lead down the stretch. With just under a minute remaining, Henry drilled the final 3-pointer for BU to give them a 45-22 lead at the break.

The Wildcats notched their biggest lead of the contest early into the second half with a stick-back by Henry making it a 25-point cushion.

The Spires started to climb back in it from there, hitting three straight triples and getting a run-out dunk to cut it to a 16-point ballgame and force a BU timeout. The halt in play didn't cool off the suddenly red-hot hosts though as USM drained another three out of the timeout and added their fifth one of the half a little later to get within six points at the 11:45 mark.

After seeing their double-digit lead shrink to a four-point game, the Wildcats got a nice spark by Henry who splashed a three and then dished a pass to set up a Jones jumper that made it 59-52, BU with just under eight minutes left to play.

Jones delivered another triple to a few minutes later before the Wildcats kept their lead at a 10-point margin until the final two minutes of the game.

With less than 90 seconds remaining, the Spires hit a three and then scored a layup to make it a six-point game with 33 seconds left before the Wildcats sealed things at the line and closed out the game, 77-71.

Forcing 19 USM turnovers, Baker recorded a season-high 15 steals with Smith and Noah Rigatuso having three apiece. For Smith, it was his second straight game with double-digit points as the senior from Stillwater, Okla. has reached double figures in three of his first four games as a Wildcat.

Wrapping up a non-con schedule where they went 2-2, Baker dives into conference play with a matchup against Benedictine on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. inside the Collins Center.

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