Men's Basketball Fends Off Simpson For Home Opening Victory

ST. LOUIS, Mo.—The Fontbonne University men's basketball team opened its 2021-22 season with a 68-61 victory over Simpson in the SLIAC / A-R-C Classic.

Records: Fontbonne 1-0, Simpson 0-1

Game Breakdown

In the first half, the Storm trailed 10-7 on Jack Hutchinson's 3-pointer at 14:12. From there, the Griffins offense took over going on a 16-4 run over the next seven minutes expanding its lead to 26-11 on Drew Cromer's made jumper.

The Storm answered back over the next four minutes with a 12-0 run as Andrew Curran's 3-pointer made it a 26-23 game.

Fontbonne, though never relinquished its lead as they gathered themselves and closed out the half on a 15-5 run with Andre Webb's layup giving them the 41-28 lead at the break.

It was an impressive first half for Fontbonne shooting 45.0 percent from the floor. Brent Wagner led with 10 points, while Caden Clark and Anthony Jones had eight each. Will Suellentrop came off the bench having seven.

In the second half, the Griffins remained in control with Elijah Rice's layup keeping them well out in front, 45-31.

The Griffins offense went cold over the next five minutes and change allowing Simpson to go on a 17-3 run tying the game up at 48-48 with 12:52 remaining.

Fontbonne's Kevin Anders got the lead right back for Fontbonne on the ensuing possession hitting his jumper. Simpson stayed within single-digits of the Griffins lead, though the comeback effort fell short with the Griffins hanging on for the seven-point win.

Team Stats

• Fontbonne finished with a 42.6 field goal percentage.
• The Griffins held a 37-31 rebounding advantage.
• Defensively, the team forced 16 Simpson turnovers.
• Fontbonne dominated in the paint with 38 points compared to 24 for Simpson.

Fontbonne Leaders

• Anthony Jones led with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
• Elijah Rice added 13 points, while Brent Wagner had a career-high 12 points.
• Caden Clark filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, five boards, and five assists.
• Will Suellentrop finished with nine points in his debut with the Griffins.

Up Next

The Griffins close out the SLIAC / A-R-C Classic tomorrow afternoon when they'll take on Buena Vista at 3 p.m.

About Fontbonne University

Fontbonne University is a private, Catholic liberal arts university located in St. Louis, committed to a transformative education and inspiring students to become global citizens who think critically, act ethically and serve responsibly. The university, founded in 1923, is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. For more information, visit www.fontbonne.edu.

Make sure to follow men's basketball on all its social media accounts: Twitter (@FBUBasketball), Instagram (@fbubasketball) and Facebook (/FontbonneUGriffins).