St. Edward's University

AUSTIN, Texas - Adam Knollmeyer hit two free throws with 2.3 seconds left to lift Missouri S&T to a 69-68 victory over St. Edward's Tuesday afternoon at the Recreation and Convocation Center. The contest was the final game of the 2008 St. Edward's Holiday Classic.

St. Edward's (6-5) opened the game on a 6-0 run, with junior Reggie Shanks scoring the first four points of the game.

Missouri S&T (5-5) responded with an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to take the lead, 8-6, with 16:34 remaining in the first half. Justin Taylor scored all eight points for the Miners, registering two shots from behind the arc and a jumper.

The Hilltoppers answered the run with an 11-0 run to put them back in front, 19-8, with 10:06 left before halftime. St. Edward's nailed three shots from downtown.

Down 25-13 with 7:03 remaining, Missouri S&T ended the half on an 18-4 run to close the gap to 31-29 at the break.

In the second half, both teams traded turns with the lead. After a Jannik Zimmer layup gave the Hilltoppers a 50-49 advantage with 8:34 remaining. Taylor turned the ball over for the Miners and then was whistled for two techinicals as he got tangled up after the loose ball. He was ejected from the game and St. Edward's was rewarded with four free-throws. That, along with a layup from senior Taylor Mullenax, pushed the Hilltopper lead to 56-49 with 8:06 on the clock.

But the Miners were not to be outdone, rallying with an 18-7 run over the next six minutes. Marquis Jones scored eight of the points and the burst gave Missouri S&T a four-point advantage, 67-63, with 2:10 remaining in the contest.

Zimmer hit two free throws, and Mullenax added a bucket and a free-throw of his own to retake the lead, 68-67, with 28 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for Knollmeyer, who was fouled by the Hilltoppers as he drove the middle of the lane.

Zimmer led the Hilltoppers with 16 points, while junior Tylor Carr added 13 points and Mullenax chipped in with 11 points. Shanks also scored in double figures with 10 points.

Taylor led all scorers with 21 points and Jones tallied 17 points. Knollmeyer finished the evening with just six points, but added a game-high 10 rebounds, as the Miners outrebounded the Hilltoppers, 37-20.

St. Edward's will be back in action Monday when they begin Heartland Conference play by hosting Dallas Baptist. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at the Recreation and Convocation Center. 

St. Edward's University Holiday Classic
All-Tournament Team
DeUndrae Spraggins, TAMU-Commerce (MVP)
Sammy Jackson, TAMU-Commerce
Taylor Mullenax, St. Edward's
Adam Knollmeyer, Missouri S&T
Bernard Seymour, Arkansas-Monticello