GAMBIER, Ohio -- The Kenyon College men's basketball team tied a season-high as four Owls scored in double figures, but the team could not collect a win on the road against Hiram College (5-4, 2-1 NCAC). Kenyon fell 82-77 against the Terriers, dropping to 5-3 overall while still looking for their first win against North Coast Athletic Conference competition after two tries.

Gefen Bar-Cohen continued to lead Kenyon in scoring, surpassing the 20-point threshold for the second time and notching his first double-double with a 21-point, 10-rebound line. He also dished out a game-high four assists while shooting an efficient 8-12 from the floor.

David Mazon III and Jackson Kennedy scored 13 points apiece, and Kennedy's output was a season-best. Nick Lewis rounded out the double-figure scorers, going for 11 points, six rebounds, and a team-high three steals.

After falling into a quick five-point hole, Kenyon's starting sophomore forwards helped the Owls flip the script and take the lead. Bar-Cohen converted a layup before assisting on a Mazon III make, and Mazon III made it two in a row, knocking down a three-pointer to put Kenyon ahead by two after a 7-0 run.

The Terriers took over from there, orchestrating a 26-10 run that put the home team up 31-17 with three minutes left in the opening half. Over the run, the Owls shot just 3-15 and missed nine shots from behind the arc. Hiram was 0-3 from downtown, but an 11-18 mark from two-point range powered the run.

Kenyon refused to go into halftime without a fight, and Lewis, a senior, sparked an 8-0 run with a trifecta at the 2:22 mark. The Owls cut their deficit to two possessions, but Hiram's Kevin Beans Jr. knocked down a three-ball just before the halftime buzzer to send the Terriers into the locker room with a 34-25 advantage.

Bar-Cohen made the first shot of the second half, picking up right where he left off after going for 11 points and seven rebounds over the first 20 minutes. Lewis connected on a three-pointer on Kenyon's third look of their next possession as the Owls made the most of two offensive rebounds.

Bar-Cohen made it a three-point game with a free throw before Hiram hit a step-back triple, but Anthony Testa quickly answered with a deep ball of his own. Layups by Peter Haas and Bar-Cohen kept Kenyon's momentum rolling, putting the visitors up 38-37.

The Owls took their largest lead at the 11:57 mark after senior Kamal Aubakirov knocked down his second of back-to-back threes to put Kenyon up eight, 54-48. The Terriers turned things around once again, however, going on a 10-2 run to tie it up at 56.

First-year Nick Nelson gave the edge back to the Owls, but Hiram's Brodgie Gordon scored 11 points over a 14-5 run where the Terriers shot 5-5 while the Owls went 1-3 with three turnovers. Hiram pushed the lead to seven at 76-69, but a Testa triple made it a two-possession game with two minutes left. 

Two free throws from Lewis pulled Kenyon within three, 77-74, with about a minute left, as the Owls played the foul game. Kenyon nearly traded one for three after a missed Hiram free throw, but a triple from Aubakirov rolled around the rim and out. The Owls could not pull off the comeback, falling 82-77 at the final buzzer.

Hiram finished with the edge in shooting percentage from the floor, three-point range, and free-throw line. Kenyon made one more triple, but it took them 11 additional tries, contributing to a 29-22 rebounding advantage for the Terriers.

The Owls return home for another NCAC bout as they welcome DePauw University (7-3, 1-2 NCAC) to Gambier on Saturday, Dec. 10. The game is set for a 3 p.m. tipoff and is game two of a Kenyon hoops doubleheader in Tomsich Arena.