AUSTIN, Texas — MASON COURTNEY set the tone, SAM MCKINNEY set the screens, and in between all of it, St. Edward's set the table for a 108–82 victory over Our Lady of the Lake University, pushing the Hilltoppers to 6–0.

Courtney opened the night with three straight 3-pointers, shaking loose a physical Saints defense intent on jamming up point forward BLAKE NIELSEN and point guard RYDER BRADLEY at the point of attack.

Our Lady of the Lake opened at a bruising pace, going inside early and often to 6-foot-7, 200-pound battering ram forward Arthur Celestin Jr., who powered his way to 10 first-half points on 5-for-8 shooting. It was a tale of David vs. Goliath — not because St. Edward's was an underdog, but because it met brute force with ingenuity and long-range weaponry, revealing strategic advantages that tilted the matchup against the giant.

The Hilltoppers and Saints traded buckets, but St. Edward's marksmen added an extra point to every volley, answering OLLU's interior presence with 3-pointers through the early going.

Courtney shot 4-for-5 from distance in the first half, and Bradley and CONOR MCMANUS each hit a pair, the trio combining for 33 first-half points.

McKinney entered the game seven minutes into the half with St. Edward's trailing by five and immediately made an impact, sprinting the court off a Nielsen steal for a dunk on a feed from Courtney. His 10 first-half points showed up in the box score, and his screens showed up in the mind of every Saints perimeter defender.

His picks were sturdy, peeling defenders off Hilltopper guards so consistently that it built instant numbers advantages in the half court. McKinney followed his transition dunk with another out of a pick-and-roll with Courtney — and while Courtney logged the assist, McKinney created the opening by taking a defender completely out of the play with a bone-jarring screen.

Two possessions later, McKinney took a pass from ROBERT CONRAD, powered through a defender's chest, and laid the ball softly off the glass.

Conrad further energized St. Edward's by getting downhill for a pair of layups and three free throws, teaming with Bradley and McManus to close the half on an 11–0 run for a 57–44 lead at the break.

St. Edward's put the game away quickly in the second half, jumping out to a 17–6 burst behind a defense that has become its calling card through six games. The Hilltoppers recorded four steals in a five-minute span — Courtney started it, finding McManus for a 3-pointer, and McManus quickly returned the favor by setting up Courtney for another.

Bradley continued combining disruptive point-of-attack defense with quick hands that turn steals into instant offense, ripping Devontae Da Costa and earning two free throws for a 65–48 lead.

Nielsen broke free for back-to-back layups and a free throw to extend the lead to 22. A McKinney offensive rebound and putback, followed by a transition layup off a Nielsen feed, pushed the margin to 74–50 with 13:37 remaining. It never dipped below 20 the rest of the way.

McKinney led St. Edward's with 16 points on 8-for-10 shooting, seven rebounds, and an emphatic cuff block on Celestin at the rim. Courtney added 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting. McManus scored 14 on three 3-pointers, two layups, and a free throw. Conrad went 5-for-8 from the field and 4-for-4 at the line, and Bradley added 12 points on six shots.

St. Edward's assisted on 27 of its 38 made field goals with only seven turnovers. Nielsen recorded a team-high five assists, while Bradley, Courtney, McManus, and Conrad finished with four apiece.

The Hilltoppers return to action Thursday against Texas A&M International.