Men's Hoops Can't Stave Off Late Run by Eagles

SAN ANTONIO – Despite a perfect night at the free throw line, the St. Mary's Men's Basketball team couldn't overcome a late run by Oklahoma Christian, dropping an 84-79 decision on Thursday night.
 
St. Mary's (10-10, 7-4 Lone Star Conference) was 18-for-18 at the stripe, posting a perfect night for just the second time in school history (minimum 10 makes) joining the 2020 team that was 10-for-10 at Tarleton State on Feb. 20. The 18-for-18 performance is also the third most made without a miss in NCAA Division II this season, trailing both Bentley and Central Missouri who had 19-for-19 games in January.
 
Senior forward Mamady Djikine (Paris, France) led the Rattlers with 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added seven rebounds. Junior Emmanuel Ewuzie (San Antonio) narrowly missed his first double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while both Ryan Leonard (Kerry, Ireland) and Kobe Magee (San Antonio) scored in double digits with 16 and 16, respectively.
 
Leonard led the team with six assists and six steals and he had the team's only blocked shot of the night. Senior guard Caleb Jordan (Midlothian, Texas) chipped in five assists as the team had 19 on 27 made baskets.
 
Nyk Madison led the game with 20 points and he was one of three Eagles (8-14, 4-7 LSC) with six rebounds as OC narrowly edged out the Rattlers, 33-to-32 in boards. 
 
The Rattlers wrap up the short three-game homestand with UAFS on Saturday at 4 p.m. before hitting the road for the final two conference games. The team closes out the regular season with a non-conference game on Feb. 24 against St. Edward's that will serve as Senior Day.
 
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER & TEAM NOTES

• St. Mary's was 18-for-18 at the free throw line, posting a perfect night for just the second time in school history (minimum 10 makes), joining the 2020 team that was 10-for-10 at Tarleton State on Feb. 20. 
• The 18-for-18 performance is also the third most made without a miss in NCAA Division II this season, trailing both Bentley and Central Missouri who had 19-for-19 games in January.

• Mamady Djikine tied his career-high with eight field goals made and his 80 percent from the floor is a new career-best for the senior from Paris.
• The six offensive rebounds for Emmanuel Ewuzie tie for the most this season in a single game, tying his own performance from Jan. 8 at Midwestern State.
• The four three-pointers by Kobe Magee mark the third time this season the senior has drained four or more in a contest. He's now hit at least one triple in 15 of his 17 games.
• The game was tied 16 times, the most this season and almost double the nine times the club was tied against Regis in the second game of the year – the previous high.