Men's Basketball has Competitive Battles Against Mount St. Joseph and Bluffton

Game 1: Mountaineers vs. Mount St. Joseph

The men's basketball team fell 69–61 to conference opponent Mount St. Joseph on Wednesday night at home. The contest was physical from start to finish, with the Mountaineers taking a narrow 31–30 lead into halftime. The second half remained closely contested, but Mount St. Joseph made key baskets and free throws in the closing minutes to pull away for the win.

Senior Bryce Riley paced the team with 19 points and five rebounds. Juniors Jae'dyn Gist and Nathanial Barrow each scored 11 points, while freshman Zavian Douglass contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.

Game 2: Mountaineers at Bluffton

The Mountaineers closed out the weekend with a road matchup at Bluffton College on Saturday, falling 87–81 after a late surge by the Beavers. The Mountaineers got off to a slow start, trailing 14–2 early in the first half, but battled back to take a three-point lead into halftime.

The second half featured back-and-forth scoring from both teams, but Bluffton pulled ahead in the closing minutes to secure the victory. Junior Nate Barrow led the Mountaineers with 23 points and seven rebounds, shooting 5-of-10 from three-point range. Bryce Riley added 19 points and nine rebounds, while Jae'dyn Gist recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Andrew Jones also chipped in with 13 points.

Up Next:

The Mountaineers return to action Wednesday on the road at Hanover College before hosting Rose-Hulman on Friday.