Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 26, 2017 – The No. 9-ranked Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team could not overcome the blistering shooting of Mount St. Joseph in a 94-76 loss Sunday in Cincinnati.
Mount St. Joseph shot 67.3 percent (37-of-55) for the game, including 73.3 percent in the first half. The Lions improved to 2-3 with the win, while WashU suffered its first defeat and fell to 4-1.
Senior Jake Knupp led the Bears in scoring for the third-straight game with 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the foul line. WashU played without its leading scorer and preseason All-American in senior Andrew Sanders (16.3 ppg).
The Bears started slow for the third-straight contest as Mount St. Joseph built a 20-10 lead with 12:58 to play and forced a timeout by head coach Mark Edwards. Senior David Schmelter had six of the first eight points for WashU.
Mount St. Joseph hit 16 of its first 21 shots from the field, and took a commanding 50-30 lead after a three-pointer by Adam Goetz.
The Lions scorched the nets in the first half shooting 73.3 percent (22-of-30) from the field, including 8-of-11 from three-point range. Mount St. Joseph turned the ball over just one time and led 55-35 at half. Knupp led all scorers with 16 points.
The Mount St. Joseph lead grew to 24 (61-37), but Knupp and senior Kevin Kucera nailed back-to-back threes to trim the lead to 61-43 with 15:51 left.
The Lions took a 73-50 lead before three straight buckets from sophomore Hank Hunter trimmed the advantage to 77-56.
WashU shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60) from the field, and outrebounded Mount St. Joseph 32-22.
Goetz lead Mount St. Joseph with 20 points, while Andrew Finley added 17.
WashU concludes a four-game road trip on Sunday, Dec. 3, at Alma College (0-2). Game time is set for 1 p.m. (ET) in Alma, Mich.
BEAR NOTEBOOK
• WashU and Mount St. Joseph met for the first time in school history.
• Kucera moved past Aaron Thompson into seventh all-time in assists (343).
• Sophomore Louis Reinmiller made his first career start in place of Sanders.