GAMBIER, Ohio – The Kenyon College men's basketball team saw its five-game home winning streak come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling 88–67 to North Coast Athletic Conference foe John Carroll University at Tomsich Arena. The loss dropped the Owls to 8–6 overall and 2–3 in league play.
The Blue Streaks struck first behind a pair of interior buckets from Luke Chicone and Kasey Hunt, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the opening two minutes. Kenyon answered quickly, as sophomore
Jackson Burke scored inside and first-year
Langston Foster knocked down a pair of triples, followed by a
Marius Mazeika layup to briefly give the Owls a 12-8 advantage midway through the first half.
That momentum was short-lived, however, as John Carroll responded with a run fueled by second-chance opportunities and perimeter shooting. The visitors rattled off a 17-3 stretch over a six-minute span, highlighted by threes from Jack Zapolnik and Mike Lamirand, pushing the lead to double digits. Chicone orchestrated the offense throughout the run, finding teammates while also finishing in transition.
Kenyon struggled to slow the surge, as turnovers and missed shots allowed the Blue Streaks to continue building separation. John Carroll closed the half on a 12-4 spurt, capped by another basket from Chicone in the final minute, to take a commanding 50-31 lead into the locker room.
The visitors picked up right where they left off after the break. Hunt opened the second half with a jumper and a three-pointer on consecutive possessions, extending the lead to 24. While Foster and Burke connected from long range to keep Kenyon within striking distance early in the half, John Carroll consistently answered at the other end, converting in every way possible.
Chicone remained a steady force throughout the second half, scoring through contact and facilitating for teammates as the Blue Streaks pushed the margin beyond 30. Kenyon continued to battle, getting transition baskets from Foster and senior
Nick Nelson and a late three from first-year
Will McDonald, but the outcome was well in hand as John Carroll cruised to the 88-67 final.
Foster led the Owls with 16 points, shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, while adding three assists. Burke and
Bence Lendvay chipped in eight points apiece, with Lendvay contributing seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Nelson finished with seven points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals.
John Carroll was paced by Chicone, who poured in a game-high 25 points on an efficient 11-for-13 shooting performance to go along with five rebounds, six assists, and a steal. Hunt added 24 points, shooting 80 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
Despite similar shooting percentages from the floor and beyond the arc, the Blue Streaks held an advantage on the boards (49–29) and at the free-throw line, where they attempted 27 foul shots compared to Kenyon's seven.
The Owls will look to bounce back on the road Wednesday, January 14, at Wittenberg University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
