CHADRON, Neb. – Zach Smith nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 9.5 seconds remaining and Chadron State's defense blocked two shots in the final seconds to emerge with an 83-82 win over the University of Mary in CSC's home opener Wednesday afternoon at the Chicoine Center. 

A raucous Education Day crowd of over 850 local elementary and middle schoolers were treated to a show, as the Eagles and Marauders combined for 12 ties and 16 lead changes with neither team ever leading by more than seven points.

Jadon Cool poured in a season-high 22 points on 8 of 15 shooting to lead the Eagles offensively, while Smith provided the timely bucket on just his second field goal attempt of the contest. Cool, Jovan Jovanovic and Smith hit two three-pointers apiece.  

Freshman Luka Djurovic scored 13 points and 14 rebounds (both career-highs) for his first college double-double while Blessing Adesipe had 11 rebounds, including four offensive boards. 

The entire game felt as though it was building to the climactic moment that Smith delivered, as there was little to separate the two teams all afternoon. 

Chadron State and UMary finished with the same number of rebounds (42-42) and were within one on assists (CSC 14, Mary 13), turnovers (Mary 13, CSC 12) and free throws (Mary 13-19, CSC 12-18). Chadron State had two more made field goals than the Marauders (31 to 29), but the visitors hit two more three-pointers (11 to 9). 

Overall, the Eagles shot 47 percent from the field (31-66), 37.5 percent from three (9-24) and 66.7 percent from the line (12-18). Mary was 41.4 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from deep and 68.4 percent from the stripe. 

The largest lead of the day for either team came midway through the first half. Out of a 16-16 tie, Smith hit his first of two threes on the night before Ethan Russell and Blessing Adesipe both converted in the paint to put CSC up seven, 23-16. Mary took less than three minutes to erase that lead as back-to-back Marauder threes tied the score at 27-27 with 8:43 until halftime.

Neither team led by more than a basket the rest of the first half, as Mary shot just 5-for-9 from the line in the opening frame to lead by just one at halftime, 38-37. Ethan Russell (nine points) and Jovan Jovanovic (eight points) were CSC's leading scorers at the break, but neither one scored in the second half. 

Instead, the ball gravitated towards Cool, who scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, as well as Djurovic (11 of 13 points in second half) and Adesipe (7 of 9). The Eagles also got to the free throw line far more as a team, attempting only two foul shots in the first half but shooting 10 of 16 in the second half. 

While the lead seesawed through much of the first and the early second half, UMary held the lead for nearly all of the final 10 minutes. A Relja Nagulic three-pointer gave the visitors a 64-62 lead with 9:18 to go and although CSC tied it twice, the Eagles did not retake the lead until Smith's shot. 

With the Marauders up six with five minutes to go, the Eagles got a three-pointer from Mack Keighran and a Collin Nick layup to cut the deficit to one. Blessing Adesipe went 3-for-4 from the line to eventually tie things up at 78-78 with just over two minutes to play. 

Djurovic, a freshman from Montenegro, came up with three defensive rebounds in the game's final minute and hit a jumper on the other end after the first to pull CSC within a point at 81-80. UMary's Kelton Coleman went 1-for-2 from the line with 23 seconds to play and Djurovic grabbed the miss, setting the stage for Smith's big shot. 

With Chadron State clinging to a one-point lead, Adesipe blocked a drive by Coleman. Nagulic picked up the loose ball for UMary and hoisted a three just before the buzzer, but Cool leaped to catch a piece of the desperation shot in mid-air, and it never reached the hoop.

Chadron State hits the road to face two more NSIC foes, taking on Sioux Falls this Friday and Minnesota State this Mankato, both in Sioux Falls.

?Chadron State—Jadon Cool 22, Luka Djurovic 13, Collin Nick 10, Ethan Russell 9, Blessing Adesipe 9, Jovan Jovanovic 8, Zach Smith 7, Mack Keighran 5. Totals: 31-66 FG (9-24 3PT) 12-18 FT. 83 points, 42 rebounds, 14 assists, 12 turnovers.

?UMary—Kelton Coleman 13, Relja Nagulic 13, Tshawn Bois 13, Tamarrein Henderson 11, Jackson Ware 11, Andre Austin 10, Cayden Redfield 4, Kenny Gonzalez 3, Amare Jackson 2, Noah Thomas 2. Totals: 29-70 FG (11-33 3PT) 13-19 FT. 82 points, 42 rebounds, 13 assists, 13 turnovers.