Men's Basketball Holds Off Benedictine for Road Win

Atchison, Kan., (Jan. 31, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Atchison, Kan., for a Wednesday evening Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Benedictine (Kan.).  The women's team held an early led, but fell by a final score of 70-56.  The men's team held off Benedictine late for a 73-71 win.

A pair of early field goals from Junior Jarrius Burnett  (Warrenton, Ga.) helped Missouri Valley go on top early in the men's game, while a three-pointer from Junior Cawhan Smith (Collinsville, Ill.) capped a run and made it a 7-1 score with five minutes played.  The Ravens were held scoreless through more than a four minute stretch of play at the start of the contest.  Smith added another field goal, and Junior Logan Walker (Lebam, Wash.) sank a three-point shot to put the advantage at 12-3 with less than 13 minutes to play in the half.  Benedictine chipped away at its deficit, making it a 14-10 score midway through the half.  Walker and Junior Dylan Driver (Covington, Ga.) each made one field goal to keep the team on top, 18-13, near the seven-minute mark.  The lead eventually went away, as BC moved ahead, 23-22, with just over three minutes remaining on the clock.  Senior Kennan Jones (Chicago, Ill.) and Junior Geovonni Floyd (Bowling Green, Ky.) followed with two made free throws apiece to put the Vikings ahead, 26-23, in the final three minutes.  Missouri Valley held the Ravens scoreless through the final stretch of play in the half, and used one made field goal from Walker and Senior Vincent Taylor (Dallas, Texas) to increase its lead, and go into halftime on top, 30-23.

The first field goal of the second half for Missouri Valley came from Junior J'Luan Patterson (Belleville, Ill.) to make it a 32-24 score, but Benedictine followed with a run.  The Ravens outscored MVC by an 11-0 margin over a four-minute stretch of play to go on top, 35-32.  Patterson ended the drought, and scored the next five points for the Vikings, followed by a field goal from Walker to move the team ahead with nearly six minutes off the clock, 39-38.  Taylor increased the lead one minute later with a field goal, while BC tied the teams at 41-41 near the 12-minute mark.  The score was tied again, 43-43, but a pair of free throws and a three-pointer all from Jones allowed Missouri Valley to hold a 48-43 lead midway through the half.  Junior Jace Lance (Marshall, Mo.) sank a three-pointer one minute later to push the advantage, while two made free throws from Taylor made it a double-digit gap, 53-43, with nine minutes remaining in the contest.  Taylor finished out a three-point play moments later as the lead reached its largest margin, 56-45.  Benedictine responded with a 10-0 run over the next stretch of play.  Burnett ended the drought for MVC with a basket, with one made free throw from Smith making it a 59-55 score with less than five minutes to play in the game.  Burnett registered the next four points for the Vikings, as the team stayed in front, 63-59, at the two-minute mark.  Another four points scored by Burnett kept BC in a 67-62 deficit as the game went under one minute to play.  Missouri Valley went to the free throw line four times in the final moments of the contest, with a pair of free throws from Jones sealing a 73-71 victory.

Four Vikings finished in double-figures, led by 14 points and five rebounds from Burnett.  Jones scored 12 points, while Smith totaled 11 points and six rebounds.  Patterson added 10 points and seven rebounds.  Missouri Valley held a 38-30 advantage in rebounds and forced 12 turnovers.

Missouri Valley improves to 10-11 on the season and 9-8 in the Heart.  Benedictine drops to 8-13 overall and 7-11 in the conference.  Missouri Valley swept the regular season meetings with the Ravens, which included a home win back on Dec. 13, 69-61.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams stay on the road for a Heart doubleheader in Oskaloosa, Iowa, against William Penn (Iowa), Saturday.  Women's game at 2 p.m., followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.  Both Missouri Valley teams earned wins in the first contests of the season, back on Dec. 2.  The men's team won 81-79, and the women's team won, 87-63.

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About Missouri Valley College

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.