OLYMPIA, Wash. – Saint Martin’s took advantage of 22 offensive rebounds and 25 Evergreen turnover en route to a 66-50 win over the Geoducks in a men’s basketball exhibition on Tuesday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

The Saints took the lead just 25 seconds into the game on a jumper by Evan Coulter and never looked back as SMU would lead the rest of the way.  The lead hit double-digits with 4:47 remaining as Rei Jensen took advantage of an offensive rebound following his own missed shot to put the Saints up 20-10.  Evergreen cut the lead down to six with 2:42 left but just one more shot would go in for either team the rest of the half as a Roger O’Neill jumper gave Saint Martin’s the 24-16 halftime lead.

Both teams warmed up their shooting arms in the second half as SMU pushed the lead to 20 with 11:37 remaining in the game.  The lead got as big as 23 but the Geoducks fought back to the very end, pulling back to 15 on a tip-in by Elzie Dickens (Seattle, Wash./Highline CC) with 2:10 left to play.  The teams continued to trade baskets the rest of the way as Saint Martin’s earned the 66-50 win over the Geoducks.

Evergreen was led by another strong game from Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Edmonds CC), who earned the double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, also adding four blocks on the night.  Dickens came off the bench to score 10 in the loss for the Geoducks, who made 16-of-49 attempts for 32.7%.  The Geoducks had eight blocks on the night, compared with just two for the Saints.

Saint Martin’s was led by 13 points from Coulter, who also had eight rebounds on the night.  Lucas Shannon and Jensen each chalked up 11 points in the win.  SMU shot 34.2% on the night, making 25-of-73 attempts, including 24 points off turnovers.

The Geoducks will take a lengthy break before hitting the court again on Nov. 23 when they travel to Parkland, Wash. to take on Pacific Lutheran, beginning at 8 p.m. at Olson Auditorium on the PLU campus.

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