GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Missed shots were the difference for the University of Providence in a 69-64 loss to Southwestern Christian University. The Argos had fewer turnovers, more rebounds, more 3-point field goals, and more free throws than the Eagles, but went 19-61 from the field to negate all those advantages.
 
UP held a slim lead for most of the first seven minutes thanks to some strong early shooting from senior guard Jared Schultz but an 11-1 run from Southwestern put the Eagles ahead by 7. That lead eventually grew to 10 points, while the Argos went on a costly shooting slump.  
 
A made three from junior D'shea Williams with eight minutes left in the half stopped the bleeding and 6 straight made free throws from Williams and senior Matthew Brooks-McGregor closed the gap to 3 points. SCU's lead hovered between 3 and 5 points for the next few minutes but turnovers late in the half allowed the Eagles to get it back to 7 by the end of first 20 minutes.
 
Considering UP's 12 turnovers in the first half and 22 percent shooting from three, that deficit could have been a lot worse. What kept the Argos in the game was the ability to get to the free-throw line and make the shots once there. UP went 11-14 from the charity stripe in the first half.
 
The second half started with a slow Argo comeback in a strong overall team effort. Five different players scored as part of a 14-5 run for UP that ended with a strong and-1 finish under the hoop for senior forward Steven Daho-Clark. As Daho-Clark absorbed and finished through the hard foul to pull the Argos within 1 point, the UP bench erupted.
 
Daho-Clark hit his resulting free throw to tie the game at 47-47 with UP holding the momentum at home.
 
All of that momentum quickly dissipated as the team failed to make a field goal for the next five minutes. Another 2 free throws from Daho-Clark were the team's only points from 9:47 to 4:22. By the time Williams hit his second three of the night at 4:22 the Eagles had a 13 point lead.
 
The next four  minutes for  the Argos were spent trying to narrow the gap and get within striking distance. Williams and Schultz put in an admirable effort, scoring all of the team's last 15 points, including 8 from Schultz.
 
With 33 second left, Schultz hit 2 free throws to bring the score to 63-59, but Southwestern hit enough free throws down the stretch to keep the score from getting any closer than that.
 
The final game totals showed the Argos winning number of important aspects of the game. UP had 3 more rebounds than the Eagles, including 18 offensive boards, and had 3 fewer turnovers. They also shot better from three and from the free-throw line but an overall shooting percentage disparity of 31 for UP to 45 for SCU was the difference.
 
Daho-Clark, Williams, and Schultz combined to score 46 of the team's 64 points. Daho-Clark led UP in points and rebounds with 18 and 7. Schultz wasn't far behind with 16 points off of 3-5 shooting from three and added 5 rebounds and a  team leading  3 steals. Williams came off the bend to score 12 points with 4 boards and 2 steals.
 
UP's record goes to 4-2 on the year and will play (RV) Our Lady of the Lake on Saturday, November 18 at 4 p.m. in the McLaughlin Center.