LA CROSSE, Wis. -- A season-best .698 shooting mark from the field (30-of-43) and .600 percentage from behind the arc (9-of-15) boosted the University of St. Francis men's basketball team to an 89-67 victory over Valley City State University (N. Dak.) to close out Day 2 of the Viterbo University Classic on Saturday afternoon.  Four Saints produced at least ten points en route to the team's fourth-best single-game field goal shooting performance in program history.  It was also the highest single-game three-point percentage since the 2015-16 season when the Saints authored a .611 measurement (11-of-18) versus Governors State University.  With the win, St. Francis improves to 2-1 overall. 

St. Francis' 30 field goals in 43 attempts, nine three pointers and 19 assists were all season-high marks, leading the Saints to having 12 players reach the scoring column on the day.  Topping the list was Merrick Small, who was perfect from the field (6-for-6) as well as from the charity stripe (6-for-6) for a combined 18 points.  Aitor Anabitarte and Rahmel Davis both went 3-for-5 from the field in recording 10 points each, while Delshawn Simms sank three treys on his way to matching a career-best 12 points for USF.

After Valley City State (6-1) won the race to 10 points to start the first half, the game saw six lead changes before St. Francis captured the advantage for good.  With 10 minutes remaining in the period, a Nick Niego three-pointer pushed the Saints in front 22-21.   USF would go on to score 17 of the next 22 points to take a 39-26 lead.  Head coach Ryan Marks' club would eventually match that 13-point scoring margin later on at 45-32 before VCSU's Jayden Patcha scored a layup at the buzzer to mark the half time score at 45-34.

The Saints continued their offensive pressure to begin the second half and pulled further away with ten of the first 14 points after the break.  Another Simms three-pointer – his third of the night - at 15:22 put the Saints up by 20.  USF would expand its advantage to as high as 31 points over the previously undefeated Vikings, who would never get the deficit under 21 points the rest of the afternoon.

As a team, the Saints out-boarded Valley City State 31-21.  Joffrey Nunnally joined Small in producing career-best scoring numbers as a Saint with his eight points, while Davis accounted for a season-high four assists.  Niego totaled eight points in 16 minutes with a pair of three-pointers and Tony Njia netted two points in his first action in a St. Francis uniform.

Up Next
The Saints have the next three days off before hosting St. Ambrose University (Iowa) on Wednesday (Nov. 20) in their Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener.  The contest begins at 7 pm in the Pat Sullivan Center.

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