The Basics

Score: Evangel 78, #9 Southwestern 86

Location: Winfield, Kan. (Stewart Field House)

Records: Evangel (8-9, 6-6); Southwestern (15-2, 10-2)

Box Score 

WINFIELD, Kan. -- Valor Men's Basketball traveled to Winfield, Kansas, on Saturday (Jan. 20) afternoon, taking on the ninth ranked Southwestern College Moundbuilders, looking to pull off the upset victory. Although EU would compete and stay within striking distance of Southwestern, the Valor could not match the Moundbuilders point for point, falling to the nationally ranked squad, 86-78, in a tough battle.

Evangel would open Saturday's game with a strong start, racing out to as much as a nine-point lead in the first eight minutes of the game, after a Broc Smith three gave EU a 19-10 advantage. Southwestern's Cevin Clark, the nation's leader in points per game, willed the Moundbuilders back into the game, as both teams would find themselves tied on several occasions in the first half. With the game knotted up at 44-44, Southwestern would hit a three pointer at the buzzer, giving the Moundbuilders a 47-44 lead into the halftime break.

With 18:30 remaining in the game, Evangel would retake the lead, 48-47, after Manrique Alvarado and Garrett Davault opened the half with baskets. A SWC basket would regive the home team the lead, a lead that the Valor would not be able to overcome the remainder of the game. The Moundbuilders would continue to ride Clark's hot hand as they took an 11-point lead in the second half, their largest of the evening. EU would not stop fighting in the final minutes, pushing against the Southwestern offense and narrowed the deficit to just five points with 2:50 remaining. Several possessions over the final three minutes would be met with physical defense from Southwestern, as EU could not convert possessions into points, ultimately falling, 86-78, on the road.

QUOTABLE 

"While that was a tough loss and we really wanted that game, we're getting better. We still need to improve in some areas, but we're getting back to Evangel basketball, toughness on defense and togetherness on offense. We'll get there," head coach Bert Capel stated.

NOTABLE 

• Manrique Alvarado led the way with 17 points in the loss on Saturday.

• Josh Pritchett, Bryce Hunt, Carson Cavalier, and Jace Coffie rounded out double-digit scoring on Saturday, scoring 15, 11, and 10, respectively.

• Pritchett led Evangel with eight rebounds.

• Evangel moved back to .500 in the conference with the loss.

• Evangel hit 50 percent of their shots in the first half, but only converted 37 percent in the second.

NEXT UP 

Evangel will return home to take on the Friends Falcons on Wednesday (Jan. 24) evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Ashcroft Center.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.  

—#OneValor—