WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 15, 2022) -- A second-half scoring drought was costly as the King's College men's basketball team dropped their home Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) contest, 85-54, to the visiting Arcadia University Knights. The Monarchs fall to 6-7 overall, 2-5 in MAC Freedom play, while the Knights improve to 6-11, 5-3 in conference action.

A hot-shooting first half saw four ties in the game with the last stalemate with 7:12 left in the half on a three from senior Noah Tanner. King's (6-7, 2-5 MAC Freedom) trailed by just three points, 34-31, with 58 seconds left, but a three at the buzzer from Arcadia's (6-11, 5-3 MAC Freedom) Shayne Rechner saw the Monarchs head into the break trailing 37-31.

King's trailed by just three points again, 40-37, with 17:32 left in regulation on a three from junior Tyler Faux, but Arcadia answered with 11 unanswered points over the next three trips. The Monarchs closed within single digits again, 56-49, on a three by junior Devin Rajza with 11:21 to play. After a layup from Tanner with 10:07 remaining, the hosts went on a scoring drought over the next 8:35 of action that proved costly as the Monarchs dropped the home MAC Freedom contest, 85-54.

 Tanner paced the Monarchs offense with 16 points, dishing out a game-high tying five assists with three boards and two steals. Faux was the other Monarch in double figures with 13 points, adding four boards, while senior Patrick Galvin collected a team-high eight boards and handed out three helpers.

Jalen Watkins led Arcadia with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Justin Money totaled 12 points and a team-high five assists.

As a team, the Monarchs recorded 15 assists on 20 made field goals, while the defense collected seven steals on 16 Knights turnovers.

King's returns home on Wednesday as they host cross-town rival Wilkes University in MAC Freedom play. The Monarchs tip off in the night cap of the conference double header at 8:00 p.m. in McGrane Gymnasium.