ANNVILLE, PA(February 7, 2026)—The King's College basketball team dropped a MAC Freedom contest to Lebanon Valley by a score of 79-77 on Saturday afternoon. The result brings the Monarchs to 5-16 overall and 2-8 in the conference while the Dutchmen improved to 6-15 overall ad 4-6 in MAC Freedom play.

In true back and fort action, the opening ten minutes of the first half saw both teams trade baskets, with Monarchs picking up a three-point advantage at 26-23 with a pair of Ben Malley free throws at 9:55. King's utilized great ball movement throughout the opening ten as six Monarchs scored in the stretch.

Lebanon Valley responded with a 15-6 run over the next six minutes as the Dutchmen got out to a 38-31 lead with 4:11 to play in the first. As the Monarchs looked for answers in the last four minutes of the half, Lebanon Valley stepped up on the defensive end, holding King's to one basket during the stretch to take a 12-point, 45-33 lead into the locker room.

Sean Forrest led the Monarchs in the first with eight points while Devin Kimmick and Matt Christian each added six as King's shot 11-of-28 from the field and 30% from three-point range.

King's opened the second half with an 11-5 spark behind threes from Kimmick and Christian along with a tough and-one from Ben Rodner-Tims to pull within six at 15:09. Both teams continued to exchange baskets through the ensuing six minutes as the Dutchmen held onto a 61-55 lead with just under nine minutes to play.

Trailing by six, the Monarchs kicked off a 12-4 run to gain their first lead of the game since the 9:23 mark of the first half behind two tough layups and a three from Christian along with a strong step-back jumper from Rodner-Tims to put King's up 66-65 with 4:03 left in regulation.

As King's attempted to extend the lead, Lebanon Valley hung tough and answered every Monarch basket with one of their own.  A free throw from the Dutchmen knotted the game at 73 apiece with 1:02 left before a second chance opportunity granted Lebanon Valley a three pointer to steal the lead back with 26 seconds remaining.

King's was forced to foul the Dutchmen and got the missed free throw that they needed to be down just three points in the final seconds. Rodner-Tims was able to get to the cup and draw a foul with one second remaining as King's trailed by three. After making the first free throw, Rodner-Tims missed the second on purpose in hopes to get a tip in opportunity at the buzzer. Lebanon Valley grabbed the rebound off the missed free throw, closing the chances on the Monarch comeback and securing the 79-77 victory.

Matt Christian led King's on the day, tying his career-best eighteen points on seven-of-ten shooting from the field and four-of-seven from three point land to go with two rebounds. Sean Forrest put up a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double while Rodner-Tims chipped in 14 points, five boards and seven assists. Kimmick rounded out the Monarchs in double digits with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Monarch men's basketball returns to action on Wednesday, February 11 as the team travels to Misericordia University for a MAC Freedom matchup with tipoff 7:00 p.m.