ANNVILLE, PA (February 14, 2024) -- Facing a 12-point halftime deficit, the King's College men's basketball team exploded for 46 second-half points, but their comeback came up shy in an 82-76 setback at Lebanon Valley College on Wednesday night. With the loss in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) match up, the Monarchs fall to 12-12 overall and 4-9 in the conference, while the Flying Dutchmen improved to 8-16 with a 6-7 conference mark.
 
Neither team led by more than two possessions through the first 15:12 of the game before a Lebanon Valley (8-16, 6-7 MAC Freedom) basket with 4:48 to go gave the hosts a 31-24 edge. Eamonn Walsh scored four of the final six King's (12-12, 4-9 MAC Freedom) points in the half before the Monarchs trailed 42-30 at the halftime break.
 
The Flying Dutchmen came out of the locker room firing as their lead swelled to as much as 19, 60-41, with 13:03 remaining before the Monarchs staged their comeback. King's scored the next 11 points in the game to close within eight with 10:30 left. A pair of Lebanon Valley free throws saw the hosts go ahead by double digits again, but the Monarchs continued to fight and keep the contest within single digits heading into the final five minutes of play.
 
Chris Patton converted a pair at the charity stripe to pull within seven before the Flying Dutchmen knocked down three of their next four from the line to jump ahead 73-63 with 1:44 remaining. Jaden Hall hit a fast break jumper, and Walsh hit both at the free throw line before the Monarchs were forced to foul.
 
Lebanon Valley went 6-for-8 over the next 46 seconds, and a big three from Patton with 24 ticks to go made it a one score game, 79-76. Out of the timeout, the Monarchs sent the Flying Dutchmen to the line again, and three-point attempts by both Walsh and Patton missed the mark as King's fell in the nail-biter, 76-82, on Wednesday night.
 
Walsh paced the offense with 24 points, going 8-for-16 from the floor and 4-for-6 from three, with five rebound and five steals, while Patton put up 23 points with five threes, adding five boards, four assists, a block, and a steal. Garrett Burys added 11 points, going 4-of-8 in the game, while Hall totaled 10 points, four boards, and an assist. Darren Yost collected eight rebounds and dished out three dimes, while Patrick Bennie grabbed six boards of his own.
 
Luis Garcia led all scorers with 27 points, adding five steals and three assists, while Evin Timochenko pulled down 13 rebounds with nine points, five assists, two blocks, and a steal for the Flying Dutchmen.
 
King's shot 39.4% from the floor and an impressive 48.1% from beyond the arc, including 50% in the first half and 47.4% in the second-half comeback effort. The Monarchs defense forced 15 Lebanon Valley turnovers which led to a 12-10 edge in points off turnovers and helped contribute to an 18-12 advantage in fast break points.
 
King's will wrap up their season in a home match up with Misericordia University on Saturday afternoon in McGrane Gymnasium. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m. in the MAC Freedom contest, and the Monarchs will honor their graduating members prior to the contest.