Men's Basketball Recap: Strong Performances Lead to Two Wins

Game 1: Mountaineers at Earlham

The Mountaineers continued conference play on Wednesday, traveling to Earlham to take on the Quakers. The Mountaineers came out strong, scoring 43 points in the first half and building a commanding 21-point lead heading into halftime.

The second half proved more challenging, as Earlham's full-court pressure caused several turnovers, allowing the Quakers to outscore the Mountaineers by 14 points after the break. Despite a tight finish, the early momentum and first-half lead proved decisive, and the Mountaineers secured a 77–70 victory.

Senior Bryce Riley led all scorers with 17 points. Freshman Zach Hudson followed with 13 points and four assists, while senior Andrew Jones contributed 12 points, and junior Nate Barrow added nine points in the win.

Game 2: Mountaineers vs. Manchester

The men's team closed out the weekend with another conference matchup against Manchester while hosting the Mutt Varney Memorial Classic at home. Both teams relied heavily on zone defense, resulting in a tightly contested game throughout. The first half featured constant back-and-forth action, with the Mountaineers taking a 38–34 lead into halftime.

The second half mirrored the first, as the game remained close until the final minutes. The Mountaineers capitalized at the free-throw line down the stretch, securing a 79–71 victory. Junior Jae'dyn Gist delivered a standout performance with 23 points and 11 rebounds, earning Player of the Game honors.

Additional contributors included Andrew Jones with 13 points and seven rebounds, Zavian Douglass with 12 points and five rebounds, and Zach Hudson with 11 points and four assists.

Up Next:

The Mountaineers will resume conference play on Wednesday, hosting Mount St. Joseph University, before traveling to Bluffton College on Saturday.