Seniors show out in 81-73 loss to Missouri Valley

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Finishing their 2022-23 season at home against Missouri Valley College, the Clarke University men's basketball team wasn't able to hold a slim halftime lead in an 81-73 loss to the Vikings in the Kehl Center.

Saturday was Senior Day for the Pride as CU honored Chandler Dean, Royce Clark, and Anthony Eddy pregame as the trio would highlight the game with Clark getting his first career start and scoring the final basket of the game, Eddy leading all scorers with 26 points, hitting six three pointers, and Dean finishing his Clarke career with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double for his second of the season and fourth of his career at Clarke.

CU's 37-35 halftime lead was powered behind a 21-point first half from Eddy as he hit five of his six three pointers in the opening 20 minutes but the MVC defense locked in on him over the majority of the second half. 14 of Dean's 18 points and eight of his 10 rebounds came in the second half as he went 4-of-5 (80%) from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

Outscoring the Pride in the second half by 10, the Vikings were led by a 22-point performance from TJ Wallace as he added 11 rebounds for a double-double of his own while he had three teammates also in double figures with J'Luan Patterson scoring 16, Colin Maclin scoring 13, and Emmandarry David added 11 points off the bench.

Clarke men's basketball will now head into the offseason with the hopes of a majority of their 2022-23 rotational lineup returning for the 2023-24 season.