LEWISTON, Idaho – The 20th-ranked Carroll College men's basketball team overcame a 17-point deficit to cut a Lewis-Clark lead to 71-68 with 1:42 left in the game but the No. 6 Warriors closed the game with 7-1 run to earn the 79-71 win and the Frontier Conference title at the Activity Center in Lewiston, Idaho.
 
The Saints led 11-10 with 13:51 in the first half before LCSC went on a 10-2 run to build a 20-13 lead with 10:43 left in the first half.
 
The Warriors extended the lead to 36-24 before an 8-0 Carroll run cut the lead to 36-32 with 1:34 left in the first half. LCSC closed the first half with a 40-33 lead.
 
Lewis-Clark came out in the second half on fire with 3-pointers in their first four possessions to build a 52-35 lead just two minutes into the second half.
 
The Saints called a timeout and regrouped which led to an 11-4 run to cut the lead to 56-46 with 11:43 left. After trading baskets, the Saints went on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 61-55 with 7:50 remaining.
 
The Saints continued to chip away and cut the lead to 71-68 with the 1:42 left, but that is as close as the Saints would come and the Warriors would hold on for the win.
 
Matt Wyman led the Saints with 20 points, one point off of his career high and a team high seven rebounds. Ryan Imhoff and Match Burnham scored 16 points each and Zach Taylor tallied 11 points and five assists.
 
Montana transfer Jake Wiley scored 24 points and grabbed 13 boards to lead LCSC. Columbia Falls native Nick Emerson tallied 12 points for the Warriors.
 
The Saints were 27 of 59 (46.6 percent) from the field but just 3 of 15 (20 percent) from the three-point line. Lewis-Clark was 29 of 58 (50 percent) from the field, including 9 of 23 (39.1 percent) from distance.
 
The two teams were equal with 32 rebounds each.
 
Carroll College is an essential lock to make the NAIA Tournament. They will learn their opponent Wednesday at 5 p.m. MST during the NAIA Selection show.