Tyrone Davidson

Two big runs in the first half were enough to propel the UMR men's basketball team to a season opening 71-55 win Wednesday night over Rhema Bible at the Gale Bullman Multi-Purpose Building.

The Miners opened the game by outscoring the Eagles 11-0, then used a 20-4 run -- including 12 straight points in one stretch -- over the final 5:03 of the half to build a 41-20 lead by the intermission. UMR extended that advantage to as many as 26 points in the second half before settling for the 16-point win.

UMR started the game by connecting on five of its first seven shots, the last coming from Tyrone Davidson to cap the 11-0 opening run. However, the Eagles, who entered the game with a 3-0 record, chipped away at the lead and cut it to three on a three-point basket by Tyron Hall at the 13:31 mark.

Rhema stil trailed by just five at 21-16 after a basket by Gabe White with 8:51 to play in the half, but the Miners went on the 12-0 run to go up by 17. A three-pointer by Owain Hall ended a Miner scoring drought that had lasted nearly six minutes, as UMR scored on six straight possessions starting with that basket. Hall scored six of the points on a pair of treys, while Casey Noll scored four points during that stretch.

The early stages of the second half belonged to Davidson and Shea Wiemann, as they scored UMR's first 12 points of the half to help build the lead to as many as 26 on two occasions. Davidson made seven of his 12 field goal attempts and finished with a team-high 16 points, while Noll ended up with 14 and Wiemann with 13 for the Miners, who won for the first time since Nov. 28, 2006 when they beat Central Bible.

The Miners also enjoyed a 46-33 rebounding edge in the game, with Davidson pulling down nine boards and freshman Justin Taylor dished out six assists in his first official game in a Miner uniform.

Rhema's Tyron Hall led all scorers in the game with 23 points, which included five three-point baskets.

UMR will head to St. Joseph, Mo., this weekend to play in the Hillyard Classic at Missouri Western, facing the host school Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Miners will also take on Truman State Saturday at 5:30 p.m.