TACOMA, Wash. --- The Pacific Lutheran Men's Basketball team opened the 2024-25 season inside Olson Gymnasium on Saturday night, cruising to a 92-61 victory over the Geoducks of Evergreen State.
 
The Geoducks scored the first basket of the game in the opening minute, but Dom Perasso matched with a layup of his own. Henry Smith got to work early, drilling a three after Perasso grabbed an offensive rebound. Ben Tellez and Smith each knocked down another three to give the Lutes an 18-8 lead through eight-minutes of the game.
 
A 12-3 run for the Lutes over the next three minutes continued as the Lutes were scoring at-will. After Miles Nash gave the Lutes their largest lead of the half (23) on a layup to put the Lutes up 48-25, the Geoducks ended the half on an 8-0 run with the Lutes unable to score for the final 2:56 of the first half.
 
The final half began much like the first, with Perasso gathering offensive boards leading to easy lay-ins, and Smith getting open beyond the arc. Bradnin Riedel led the charge in the paint for the Lutes, consistently making layups and drawing fouls to get to the charity stripe. Shortly after Jason Montes cashed in on an and-one Mack Hepper made back-to-back corner threes to give the Lutes a 30-point cushion with five-minutes remaining.
 
Liam Johnston and Caleb Berry came in off of the bench for Chad Murray's Lutes in the final minutes of the game, with Johnston scoring six while Berry closed out the game with an and-one to give him five in the contest. Smith and the Lutes never took their foot off the gas as they opened the non-conference schedule with a 92-61 win over Evergreen State.
 
Henry Smith lit up the stat sheet, dropping 19 points with three buckets from beyond the arc. Smith also added six rebounds, three assists, and a steal in the game. Miles Nash led the Lutes with seven rebounds and four assists which Mack Hepper had a pair of blocks. The Lutes shot an impressive 53% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc on Saturday, scoring 44 points in the paint and having 27 points off of the bench.
 
The Lutes host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Chapman at home yet again next Friday and Saturday night inside Olson Gymnasium at 7 p.m.
 
To follow Lutes coverage all season long, please follow us on social media; PLU Athletics on Facebook, @GoLutes on X.com and Instagram.