The Basics

Score: Evangel 80, McPherson 88

Location: McPherson, Kan. (Holman Fieldhouse)

Records: Evangel (5-9, 2-6); McPherson (5-9, 3-5)

Box Score 

MCPHERSON, Kan. -- Valor Men's Basketball took on the McPherson College Bulldogs on Saturday (Jan. 4) afternoon, looking to open the second half of the season on the right foot against a Bulldog squad who had won a pair of consecutive conference games, heading into Saturday's matchup. Despite an early first half lead, McPherson dominated the final eight minutes of play in the first half, outscoring Evangel by 18 points (31-13), to take a lead that Evangel could not overcome, as the Valor fell, 88-80.

Bryce Ware led the Valor to open Saturday's game, scoring seven of the first nine Evangel points to give the Valor an early 9-2 lead over McPherson. A 7-0 Bulldog run made it a tied ball game, but another small Evangel run, this one fueled by four points from Carson Cavalier helped EU take a 15-9 lead. The Valor were able to maintain a two score lead for the majority of the first half, until McPherson opened up their game deciding run, scoring 31 points in the span of eight minutes on some tough, well guarded three pointers. Josh Mason and Ware helped keep EU scoring in the drought, but the Valor trailed, 46-34, at the halftime break.

Josh Mason played a strong second half to lead Evangel, scoring 18 points to keep the Valor offense rolling, but Evangel could not find timely defensive stops in the final half of play. EU was able to get the McPherson lead down to just eight points on five different occasions in half number two, but the Bulldogs consistently used small runs to retake double digit leads over the Valor. A late three pointer from Carson Cavalier helped make it just a six-point McPherson lead, 86-80, with 27 seconds remaining, but needing to foul, McPherson made their free throws and misses on the offensive end hurt Evangel's chances, falling 88-80, on Saturday afternoon.

QUOTABLE 

"I thought we started out the game great. McPherson hit some tough shots towards the end of the first half and we never recovered," head coach Bert Capel stated. "Offensively, we struggled in the first half. We were much better in the second half, but we could not close the gap. We just have to stay consistent on both ends of the floor."

NOTABLE 

• Josh Mason led the Valor with 25 points, his career high.

• Garrett Davault (18 pts.), and Bryce Ware (14 pts.) rounded out double digit scoring for EU.

• Logan Rodgers led Evangel with four rebounds.

• Manrique Alvarado passed off a team high five assists.

• Ty Campbell came away with a team high five steals.

UP NEXT 

Valor MBB returns home to host Southwestern at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 8) evening in AGFinancial Arena, looking to earn their first win of 2025. Wednesday night's game will be broadcast by Mediacom22.

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—