Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information Photo Terri Haverfield
DILLON, Mont. – The Montana Western men’s basketball team (1-0, 0-0) opened the season with a massive 99-51 win over the Evergreen State College Geoducks.
Tonight’s season opening win marks the fifth straight season opener ending in a victory for the Bulldogs.
How It Happened
The Bulldog men got off to a fiery start, rattling off five triples in a row with four coming from the hot hands of Jalyn Stepney. Kyle Gruhler added a pair of threes of his own on the way to taking a 22-4 lead with 14 minutes left in the first half.
Western continued on their three-point barrage, this time with Clarence Martin hitting back-to-back threes to spark another 14-0 scoring run to push into the final three minutes of the half.
Stepney paced the Bulldogs in the first half with 18 points on a four for five performance from the arc.
Outpacing the Geoducks 26-8 across the first ten minutes of the second half, the Bulldogs remained in control of the game down the stretch.
Western’s bench provided the lift needed in the remaining minutes of the game to keep the Bulldogs in the driver’s seat. They would add a combined 27 points on their way to a 99-51 victory, with 10 points coming from Cael Murgel.
Notables
Western combined for a 56.1 shooting percentage and hit 12 threes in the win. They also grabbed 26 rebounds, with 12 coming from the offensive side of the court.
Stepney led the Bulldogs with 22 points, 18 of which came within the first seven minutes of the game. He shot an overall 88.9 percent from the field and four of five from the arc.
Gruhler followed behind with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Bulldog bench came in hot, providing 47 points from the bench.
All but one Bulldog who stepped on the floor earned points in the game.
Murgel added 10 points coming off the bench, going three for four from the field and adding four rebounds.
Up Next
Montana Western will be back in the Straugh Gymnasium tomorrow night for a 7 p.m. tip-off against Walla Walla University (Wash.).
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