(Mesa, AZ) A second ranked opponent in less than a week once again gave the Bucs too much to handle, as the Coyotes of Kansas Wesleyan University defeated the Buccaneers 72-60 on Monday night.
The final game for the Buccaneers in the 2022 calendar year resulted in their fourth loss in a row, but it didn’t come without a fight from the Buccaneers. Park-Gilbert cut a 22-point deficit to an 11-point deficit in four minutes in the second half, but the Kansas Wesleyan starters combined for 22 of their 32 points in the second frame to finish off the 12-point victory.
It wasn’t a perfect start in the second half for the Bucs, but solid defensive efforts by seemingly the entire Bucs lineup kept them in the game down the stretch. Led by Kylan Shorts and Aidan Moreno, the Bucs shut the Coyotes without a field goal for 4:44 in the second half, as Park quietly clawed their way back into the game. Buckets late in the final few minutes of the second half by the Coyotes that answered back-to-back buckets by Kobi Cason put the nail in the coffin.
Vincent Cooke and Kobi Cason led the way from the bench for the Bucs, both tallying double digit points. Cooke added five rebounds to his 10 points on 2-4 shooting from deep, while Cason finished 5-5 from the field with two assists and two rebounds. Cooke was especially good in the first half, with eight points in 14 minutes in the opening frame to keep the Bucs in competitive territory entering the second half.
Kansas Wesleyan entered the game ranked fourth in the NAIA in opponents field goal percentage; and they flexed that defensive muscle, holding the Buccaneers to 36.8 percent from the field. They also sit 11th in the NAIA in rebounds, and were led by 16 rebounds from Alex Littlejohn for a team total of 52 in the game. Littlejohn also led the Coyotes in scoring with 20 points.
The Bucs also held to their own trends and continued to struggle from the free throw line, going 4-10 from the charity stripe in the game. They now sit in the bottom 20 in the NAIA in free throws attempted, made, and percentage. They did improve on their three-point shooting woes, however, going 6-14 from beyond the arc. They remain in the bottom 10 in the NAIA in three-pointers attempted, made, and percentage.
The Bucs men’s basketball team will see their next action on the road January 3rd at Embry-Riddle. They then return home for back-to-back games at Bell Bank Park on January 5th and 6th against Pacific Union and Cal State Maritime, respectively.
For all the latest news on Buccaneer sports, follow @parkbuccaneers on Twitter and Instagram and like the Park University Gilbert Athletics Facebook page.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Lainie Hallows
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