Pride fall to 20th ranked Valor, 81-60

Pride fall to 20th ranked Valor, 81-60
Box Score
January 7, 2023

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Playing their first road game since December 15th, the Clarke University men's basketball team were unable to upset 20th ranked Evangel University in an 81-60 defeat.

The Pride were climbing an uphill battle from the tip, as the 20th ranked Valor took a lead and never gave it back. EU jumped out to a 13-4 advantage just six minutes into play before the Pride would go out on a quick 5-0 run and the four-point deficit would be as close as they would be the rest of the contest.

EU led by as many as 16 points in the first half as both teams would finish shooting 41% from the floor, however EU would take 20 more attempts. EU was able to capture possessions thanks in part to a 10-1 turnover advantage and turned those into 18 points. For EU, Josh Pritchett and Stephen Salvi both scored double digits in the first half. Pritchett, doing most of his work in the paint, finished the half with 12 points on 4-6 from the floor. Salvi contributed 10 points and was 2-3 from three-point range.

For the Pride, Dubuque native, Daquon Lewis finished the half with nine points on 4-5 shooting.

The Pride watched EU get off to a hot start in the second half as Autry Accord scored 10 points in the first seven minutes of 2nd half action and they built their lead up to 23. The Pride would show heart the rest of the way as Anthony Eddy and Lajarrion Spinks battled the Pride back to within 13 points with three minutes to play, behind their scoring efforts. Eddy and Spinks would both finish the game with 15 points apiece, a majority of those coming in the second half. Senior, Chandler Dean chipped in 13 points of his own on 50% shooting. The Pride would finish the game shooting 23-60 (38%) from the floor and 2-18 (11%) from three-point range.

EU finished the game with six players in double-figures, which included Pritchett (15), Salvi (10), Accord (13), Chandler Oriakhi (15), Jace Coffie (12), and Garrett Davault (11).

The Pride men's basketball team will now come home for three-straight games, starting with Culver-Stockton on Wednesday, January 11th for a 7:30 pm CST tip.