ATCHISON, KS — The William Penn men’s basketball team came up short in a tightly-contested 71-68 loss to Benedictine in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Thursday.
WPU (8-4, 5-3 Heart) struggled to find its rhythm early, allowing BC (6-8, 5-5 Heart) to open the game on a 12-4 run through the first five minutes. The teams traded baskets for much of the half, but the Ravens surged again with a seven-point run late in the period. LeQuan Washington (Jr., Chicago, Ill.) sank a buzzer-beating two-pointer off a turnover to trim the deficit to 34-28 at halftime.
The squad’s first-half shooting woes proved costly, as they managed just 32% from the field and 25% from three-point range. Washington paced the team with eight points in the opening period, while Roy Jones III (Sr., Pensacola, Fla., Psychology) added six.
Coming out of the break, William Penn seized momentum with a 15-6 run, tying the game at 43-43 at the 14:39 mark. The teams traded leads in a back-and-forth battle, but Benedictine made the plays down the stretch to claim the victory. WPU was tied at 68-68 entering the final minute of action, but failed to score in its last possession and then could not grab a defensive rebound in the waning seconds for one more chance.
Malique Oates (Sr., Huntsville, Ala., Sports Management) delivered a standout performance, recording his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Jones III contributed 13 points and four steals, while Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Criminology) added 12 points and eight boards.
Despite their efforts, the Statesmen couldn’t overcome inefficiencies on the offensive end. They shot 40.9% from the field compared to BC’s 50%, while connecting on just 50.0% of their free throws. WPU fared slightly better from beyond the arc, shooting 27.3% to Benedictine’s 28.0%.
On the glass, William Penn outrebounded the Ravens 41-36, turning 15 offensive boards into 21 second-chance points. Both teams struggled with turnovers, with WPU committing 14, but capitalizing on BC’s 13 giveaways for 15 points.
“This was a missed opportunity at a great road win,” said Head Coach John Henry. “We are all disappointed, but we don’t have any time to pout before Saturday.”
Up Next: The Statesmen return to action at home Saturday, hosting Baker in Penn Gymnasium at 4 p.m. in Heart play.
