Knights open State Fair Classic with win over Roadrunners

Sedalia, Mo. – The North Platte Community College men's basketball team opened up the State Fair Classic with an 82-77 win over the Roadrunners of State Fair Community College on Friday night.

Davion Evans led the Knights with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while teammates Parker Baumann and Bryce Baez each chipped in 18 points against the Roadrunners.

Baez gave the Roadrunners trouble early, scoring 15 points in the opening 12:51 of the half. North Platte stretched their lead to 24-12, before the Roadrunners trimmed the margin to 32-30. In the closing minute, Evans found a crease in the defense on back-to-back possessions to stretch the lead to six by the halftime break.

State Fair got hot from the perimeter in the second half, as they continued to stay within striking distance for the remainder of regulation. The Roadrunners cut the margin to 40-39 in the early stages of the second half, but a 10-0 run gave the Knights some breathing room with 14:03 remaining.

Roadrunners connected from deep on their next offensive possession, before a short spurt cut the margin to 59-57 inside nine minutes to play. A Baumann fadeaway jumper from the baseline halted the momentum shift before the Knights went on the offensive to push the lead back to nine.

Inside the closing minutes, the margin was once again cut to four on another Roadrunner three. State Fair sent North Platte to the line three times in the final minute, but the Knights closed out the game by going 4-of-6 to earn the road win. 

North Platte finished the game shooting 51.7 percent (31-60) from the floor, including 19-of-28 from the free throw line. The Roadrunners connected on 50 percent (13-26) of their shots from the perimeter but were out rebounded by the Knights, 43-30.

The Knights (3-2) return to the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center on Saturday to take on No. 15 Moberly Area Community College. Tip is set for 4 p.m.