AUSTIN, Texas – In the hours before St. Edward's game over Texas Permian Basin, sophomore forward Blake Nielson worked on his outside shot with countless repetitions from various spots and multiple situations.
With the game hanging in the balance, Nielsen's hard work translated from practice to the game with a pair of critical 3-pointers in the men's basketball team's 68-61 win over the Falcons.
Nielsen was one of three Hilltoppers in double figures, scoring 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in an efficient 5-for-8 performance from the field. Nielsen hit 2-for-3 from deep and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Freshman SEAN ELKINTON led St. Edward's with 19 points and 15 rebounds for his conference-leading seventh double-double of the season, and UCHE DIBIAMAKA contributed 13 points.
Elkinton replaced Nielsen in the starting lineup early in the season, but since Nielsen rejoined the starters alongside Elkinton, the duo have formed impeccable chemistry.
The duo connected for St. Edward's first points of the game, with Nielsen receiving a post-entry pass and spinning baseline in the same motion, blowing past his defender and finding Elkinton cutting down the middle for a layup and foul, converting the 3-point play.
Elkinton was unstoppable early, generating 11 of St. Edward's first 13 points, scoring the Hilltoppers' first nine points, and assisting on another basket. The first-year big man did most of his work before touching the ball, moving into passing lanes for layups, offensive rebounds, and a foot-on-the-3-point line jumper for an early 13-6 lead.
Permian Basin responded with a 17-8 run led by Azariah Seay and Daniel Moody, getting a pair of 3-pointers from the latter over six minutes to take the lead at 23-21 with 8:58 remaining in the first half. St. Edward's followed with a 9-0 run, getting a 3-pointer and short jumper back-to-back from Dibiamaka, a layup, and two free throws from Elkinton for the 30-23 lead.
Dibiamaka and Elkinton were nearly unstoppable in the first half, combining for 24 of the Hilltoppers' 38 first-half points. Elkinton was flawless, hitting all six of his shots and all three free-throw free-throw attempts for 15 first-half points with six rebounds to lead St. Edward's to a 38-30 lead at the break.
Nielsen set the tone for St. Edward's early in the second half, scoring or assisting on the Hilltoppers' first three baskets after the break, and kept Permian Basin at bay late.
The wiry, 6-foot-6 Australian's legs are like spring-loaded centers of centrifugal force, ready to explode into quick spins in either direction off either foot at a moment's notice.
On St. Edward's second possession after the break, Nielsen received the ball curling away from the basket near the top of the key and quickly accelerated into a spin, getting into the lane and delivering a no-look pass to Elkinton for the dunk. On St. Edward's next possession, Elkinton returner the favor, getting the ball to Nielsen on the dribble handoff for a layup and a 42-30 lead.
Dibiamaka answered a Permian Basin bucket with a short fadeaway of his own, but St. Edward's went cold over the next few minutes. The Hilltoppers shot just 1-for-6 over the next four minutes, unable to convert the quality looks they did generate to surrender a 14-2 Permian Basin run to tie the game at 46.
Nielsen retook the lead for St. Edward's with a slicing drive through a thicket of defenders for the layup and foul, converting the 3-point play.
Max Warren, an undersized frontcourt player for Permian Basin, caught fire in the second half with 12 of his game-high 20 points, leading the Falcons back into the game with a brief 57-56 lead on a free throw by Seay with six minutes remaining.
St. Edward's responded with its trademark connect-the-dots passing sequences, moving the ball from GAVINO RAMOS to Elkinton to JEFF GARY to Nielsen in quick succession for the left-wing 3-pointer. Then, after Warren tied the game on a layup off a feed from DaJuan Jones, Nielsen stepped behind another Elkinton dribble handoff for the pull-up 3-pointer with less than four minutes remaining.
Nielsen attacked a closeout on St. Edward's next possession to get to the free-throw line, nailing both attempts. Warren brought Permian Basin back within two on the ensuing possession, but St. Edward's iced the game with five free throws down the stretch.
St. Edward's won despite its fewest made 3-pointers of the season (four), limiting Permain Basin to 41.8 percent shooting and forcing 12 turnovers.
With its fourth consecutive win, St. Edward's improves to 15-5 with a 9-2 conference record. The Hilltoppers will host Angelo State on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
