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Kenyon College Athletics

David Mazon
Sejin Kim
70
Kenyon College KENM 2-21,0-16 NCAC
72
Winner Denison DENM 10-11,9-6 NCAC
Kenyon College KENM
2-21,0-16 NCAC
70
Final
72
Denison DENM
10-11,9-6 NCAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Kenyon College KENM 27 38 5 70
Denison DENM 34 31 7 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Lucien Kisch

Big Red escape Lords in overtime

GRANVILLE, Ohio – In a rematch of yesterday's showdown, the Kenyon College Lords lost a heartbreaker to Denison Big Red in overtime, 72-70. The Lords fought back from a seven point halftime deficit and into the final possession, but ultimately Denison was just too much for Kenyon. The loss drops the Lords to 2-21 for the season.

It was a slow start for the Lords, who went down 15-4 at the game's outset. But things slowly started coming together after Miles Versa scored five points and Peter Haas added four more as Kenyon went on a 9-4 run to bring the score to 19-13. 

That was the closest the Lords came to Big Red for the rest of the half, as Denison promptly ripped off an 11-2 to go up 30-15. The game of runs continued with Kenyon closing out the half on a 12-4 run added by three-pointers by Versa and Anthony Testa to make it a seven point game at the half, with Denison up 34-27.

Big Red started off the second half strong, going up 42-29, but the Lord's hung tough and began punching back. With significantly improved shooting, a string of layups and Denison misses brought Kenyon within four points at 42-38, their narrowest deficit of the half, with the intensity in the building ratcheting up a notch. 

While the Lords fell backwards again, with their deficit growing to 55-45, there was still some magic left. Versa began to really get going, making a layup, followed by a crosscourt pass to David Mazon standing wide open under the basket, followed by a high difficulty contested mid-ranger. Max Belt capped off an 8-0 run for the Lords making a layup through contact to bring the score to 55-53. Denison rattled off six straight points to go up again, but the pesky Lords did not fade away, with Versa hitting a deep trey to pull within four, 62-58.

With 1:38 left in the game, the Lords found themselves down by five, still very much in the game. Belt made two free throws and Versa followed by making an and-one layup to tie the game up at 65-65 with less than a minute to go in the game. A three-pointer miss from Big Red sharp-shooter Darren Rubin gave Kenyon the ball with 0:28 left in the game with one final possession. Versa dribbled down the shot clock and passed to an open Mazon camped out behind the arc. Mazon's shot hit off the rim, and a desperate jumper from Haas bounced out and sent the game to overtime.

Both teams struggled to score at the beginning of the extra period, but Big Red got on the board first on a Rubin three-ball. The Lords struck right back though as Mazon hit a trey on the following possession to tie the game back up at 68-68. A layup for each side made the game tied up at 70 with 28 seconds left and Big Red possession. After the Lords almost stole the ball away, Denison got the ball into the hands of big man Freeman Brou who sunk in a floater to put the Big Red up 72-70 with seven seconds left. On the final possession, the Big Red smothered point guard Belt in coverage, forcing a contested three-point plea that went errant as the buzzer sounded and gave Denison the victory,

Despite the loss, Versa lit up the stat sheet, pouring in 28 points with seven rebounds while dishing out a team-high four assists. Mazon added 13 points and reeled in a team high eight boards. Haas was superb off of the bench, getting a big uptick in time on the floor and scoring 12 points with seven rebounds and three steals.

The Lords will try to respond when they play their final home game of the season on Wednesday, February 16 against Hiram. The game tips off at 7 p.m.

 
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