C-SC men lead No. 1-ranked William Penn with 12 minutes left but can’t complete upset

CANTON, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton men’s basketball team led William Penn, the No. 1-ranked team in the NAIA, with a little more than 12 minutes to play Saturday afternoon before losing 95-90 Saturday afternoon at Charles Field House in a Heart of America Athletic Conference game.

The Wildcats, who lost to the Statesmen 119-76 on Dec. 4, never let the visitors go on any runs and trailed 35-33 at the intermission. The Statesmen opened the second half with an 8-2 run to take a 43-35 lead, but C-SC didn’t flinch and took its only lead at 58-57 on a 3-pointer by Javon Modester with 12:12 to play in regulation.

After a timeout, William Penn went on a 14-2 to take a 71-60 lead with nine minutes to play. C-SC came back again and pulled to within five points at 93-88 on a layup by Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor with 14 seconds left.

William Penn’s Chanze Cruesoe made two free throws with 13 seconds left to put the margin at seven. Caleb Kizer made two free throws for the Wildcats with five seconds left to account for the final score.

Ortiz-Traylor led the Wildcats, who finish with a 14-14 record and a 5-14 record in the Heart, with a season-high 32 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Blaize added 27 points, including five 3-pointers.