ANNVILLE, PA (January 29, 2025) -- Trailing by just 12 at the half, the King's College men's basketball team struggled from the floor in the second as they dropped an 87-53 decision on the road at Lebanon Valley College in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play. With Wednesday night's setback, the Monarchs fall to 7-9 overall and 2-5 in the standings, while the Flying Dutchmen improve to 10-8 with a 4-3 conference mark.
 
It was a competitive contest to start as neither team led by more than two possessions, and the game featured three ties and three leads changes with the score knotted at 15 a piece with 12:04 to go in the half. Lebanon Valley (10-8, 4-3 MAC Freedom) scored the next 12 points in the game to build their lead, but King's (7-9, 2-5 MAC Freedom) climbed back within single digits on a free throw by Eamonn Walsh with 52 ticks left. A late triple by the Dutchmen saw the Monarchs facing a 44-32 halftime deficit.
 
The host Lebanon Valley came out of the gates firing in the second, scoring eight straight to start the half, before a bucket from Chris Patton with 15:18 to go got the Monarchs on the board. King's struggled down the stretch, while Dutchmen continued their hot shooting night as the Monarchs fell, 87-53, to wrap up the first half of their MAC Freedom slate on Wednesday night.
 
Patton finished with 21 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while Jawane Buckner added 12 points, two helpers, and two steals. Walsh totaled seven points and three boards, while both Garrett Burys and Jake Karnish grabbed six boards each. Additionally, Darren Yost came off the bench to hand out two dimes.
 
Lebanon Valley was led by Ryan Harder with 32 points, while Evin Timochenko finished with 19 points, eight boards, and five assists.
 
King's shot 36.8% (21-57) from the floor in the setback and got 24 points from the paint.
 
The Monarchs look to snap the skid on Saturday afternoon as they open the second half of their conference schedule at home against FDU-Florham. Tip off in the MAC Freedom match up is set for 3:00 p.m. in McGrane Gymnasium.