MEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU men’s basketball team didn’t have an answer for Saint Francis’ play from downtown Saturday afternoon at the Hutzell Athletic Center. The 17th-ranked Cougars (13-3, 2-2) buried a season-best 19 threes on the way to downing the Foresters 96-69.

While USF is nationally known for its prowess from three-point land, ranking 10th in the NAIA in 3-point field goal percentage (.394) and 13th in threes made per game (10.8), they played at a different level on this given night. For the game, the Cougars shot 59.4 percent from deep where they went 19-for-32 to shoot better from outside the arc than inside it.

It made for a frustrating afternoon for Platt and crew who kept things close through the first seven minutes of play before Saint Francis got hot. Caleb Middlesworth’s bucket at the 16:56 mark gave Huntington an early four-point lead. They would hang on to an advantage over the next several possessions before USF canned its second trey of the contest for a permanent lead of 10-8.

The difference stood at 21 by halftime after which the Foresters played more or less even with their hosts in the second period before succumbing to the conference loss.

Huntington forced eight USF blunders to the tune of 12 points while committing just six turnovers at the other end of the floor which Saint Francis cashed in for just one point. It’s the sixth time this season Huntington has posted single digits TOs.

Middlesworth topped all scorers with 22 points. It’s his fifth straight game of scoring 20+ points. Konner Platt and Peyton West added 16 and 11 points respectively. West swiped a game-best three steals. Spencer Ballinger corralled a team-leading five rebounds.

Saint Francis landed three Cougars in double digits in Tyler Smith (16), Lance Dollison (15) and David Ejah (12) – all of which came off the bench for Coach LaCross.

HU, 9-7 overall, 1-3 in league play, is back in action on Tuesday to host #4 Mount Vernon at 7:00 p.m.