Story by NPCC Athletic Communications
North Platte, Neb. - Lamar scored 39 points and forced eight second half turnovers to defeat the Knights on Saturday afternoon, 78-59.
Dennis Rocha led the Knights with 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field, while Josh Osayanrhion pulled down eight rebounds to accompany his seven points. Freshman John Sims IV chipped in six points while adding four assists.
"Lamar played a heck of a game," said head coach Jacob Brandl. "They went to that zone, and the wheels just fell off for us."
The contest opened as a tight three-point battle, with both teams trading shots from beyond the arc. Brady Kennison knocked down a three-pointer early to give the Knights a brief edge, but Lamar responded by retaking the lead and carrying that momentum to a 39-33 halftime lead.
Lamar kept their momentum rolling in the second half, as they stretched their lead to 28 points with 5:17 remaining. North Platte surged in the closing minutes, but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
"We had some good looks at the rim and on the perimeter, but we didn't convert," Brandl said. "Back to work to get ready for another strong Region IX South opponent at home."