Second half explosion leads to 101-92 Pride home win

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Coming off of one of their better offensive performances in a loss on Wednesday, the Clarke University men's basketball team produced their highest point total of the season, topping the century mark in a 101-92 Saturday afternoon home victory over Benedictine College.

The Pride were able to outscore the Ravens 62-50 in a second half that saw CU shoot 21-of-31 (67.7%) from the field and 6-of-11 (54.5%) from three point range after trailing 42-39 at the break while shooting 13-of-30 (43.3%) in the opening 20 minutes.

CU got scoring contributions from most of the rotation in the second half led by 25 points in the half from DeMarco Clayton as the junior would finish with a game-high 31 points on 9-of-14 (64.3%) shooting from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line as he went 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the field, 2-for-3 (66.7%), and 9-for-9 from the free throw line in the second half.

Clayton got the half off to a strong start for Clarke, scoring the team's first seven points of the half with a three, a two-point jumper, and pair of free throws to give the Pride a lead as the Ravens would hang around to keep it a one-possession gameuntil about the 12:30 mark.

With the Pride up a point at 57-56, they would use the next three minutes of game time to go on an 18-4 run where Maximiliano Bowman either scored or assisted on four of Clarke's seven makes from the field as he would hit a pair of three pointers and assist on three pointers Daquon Lewis and Devon Junghans, the last of which would make it a 73-59 CU lead before Jonovan Howard finished the run with a layup to put the score to 75-59.

The Ravens wouldn't be able to pull back within closer than 10 for most of the remainder of the half until it came down to free throws late in the game as the closest they'd pull the game would be six points at 96-90 with just over 30 seconds remaining but Junghans and Bowman would hit enough free throws to seal the game.

Bowman would cap the scoring with a layup to get the Pride over 100 points for the first time in general since Nov. 18, 2022, the first time against an NAIA opponent since Nov. 20, 2020, the first time against a Heart of America Athletic Conference opponent since Feb. 22, 2020, and the first time in a Heart win since Jan. 20, 2020.

Bowman finished with 20 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, Lewis added 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, 2-for-2 from three, and 1-for-1 from the free throw line, and Carson Lindauer had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Benedictine also had four players in double figures with Jack Vander Woude finishing at a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead BC in each category while Harrison Kisling added 20, Larry Parker III had 18 points off the bench, and Deaglan Sullivan had 13 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Clarke men's basketball will play their next game on their home court as well when they welcome Grand View University to the Kehl Center next Wednesday, Jan. 22 for a 7:30 p.m. CT scheduled tip between the Pride and Vikings.