LEWISTON, ID – John Lustig came up clutch for (RV) LC State Men’s Basketball on Wednesday with 21 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to help the Warriors edge Walla Walla (Wash.) 64-57. The Wolves led at the half, but Lustig totaled 15 points in the final 20 minutes to keep LC State at the top of the Cascade Conference standings.
“Proud of our guys for grinding out a win,” coach Austin Johnson said. “John was huge down the stretch finishing at the rim, and we had some great defense the last few minutes. We struggled to play as hard as Walla Walla tonight and you have to give them credit for that. We did just enough to win but we’ll take it. Now we move on to a very well rested and talented Warner Pacific team.”
The victory has the LC State record at 18-5 overall and 12-3 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Walla Walla’s Soren Dalan posed a challenge from the start and helped the Wolves out to an 11-5 lead through the first seven minutes of the game. Josh Salguero, Brandon Suber and Dylan Skaife combined for an eight-point run to start a back-and-forth with the lead changing hands three times before a triple by Skaife tied the game 20-20 at 6:20.
A foul shot by Dallon Morgan and another 3 by Skaife was followed by a layup by Suber to give the Warriors a 28-26 edge with 2:16 to play in the half. Skaife knocked down a 3 in the final minute, but a four-point run had WWU in front 32-31 at the break.
Walla Walla pushed its advantage to four points and kept it there through the first eight minutes of the second half. The senior trio of Grayson Hunt, Peyton Nordland and Lustig scored consecutive baskets to put the Warriors up 47-45 at 10:47, then back-to-back buckets by Lustig put LC State in front for good at 8:50.
Lustig scored the final six points of the contest, including 4-of-4 free throws, in the 64-57 win.
STAT RECAP
Lustig led LC State with 21 points on a 7-for-11 night from the field. He went 7-for-8 from the free throw line, grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds and tallied three steals.
Skaife added 13 points with five rebounds and three 3-pointers, and Suber scored 10 points. Hunt totaled seven rebounds and Salguero grabbed six. Nordland led the team with three assists.
LC State committed just eight turnovers and forced 19 for 17 points.
Walla Walla’s Dalan led the contest with 25 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. Jordan Jackson scored 14 points, and Reese Snellman grabbed 12 boards.
UP NEXT
LC State hosts Warner Pacific (Ore.) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the P1FCU Activity Center.
