Parker shines in debut as Pride take 94-71 win over Emmaus
DUBUQUE, Iowa - Getting their 2025-26 season off and running on their home floor against an in-town foe, the Clarke University men's basketball team was able to run away with a 94-71 victory over Emmaus University on Tuesday night in the Kehl Center.
The scoring was almost identical for both teams in each half of the game as the Pride scored 47 in both the first and second frames while the Eagles put up a 36-point first half, hanging around for the majority of the opening 20 minutes, then scored a point less in the final frame with 35 points.
After starting the game on a 9-2 run, CU would maintain a healthy lead, getting their largest advantage to 11 points at 30-19 with about nine minutes left before a 9-0 run cut the game to a one-possession game for the first time since Clarke's first basket of the game at 30-28 but the Pride would answer with an 11-1 run to get their 11-point lead back, eventually heading into the half with that advantage.
The three-point shot was able to keep the Eagles in the game as they went 11-for-29 (37.9%) compared to Clarke's 6-for-25 (24%) but the Pride were able to have significant advantage in the two-point field goal department, making 28 to just 16 for EU, and at the free throw line with Clarke making 20-of-27 (74.1%) free throws and Emmaus missing nine of their 15 free throws attempts (40%).
Sophomore guard Sunny Parker for the Pride led all scorers with a 24-point performance in his CU debut, going 8-for-15 (53.3%) from the field, 2-for-2 from deep, and 6-for-9 (66.7%) from the free throw line while adding six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in a team-high tying 27 minutes.
Four other members of the Clarke lineup reached double figure points with Carson Lindauer producing 18 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot, DeMarco Clayton scored 15 poitns and grabbed five rebounds, then both Jonovan Howard and Desmond Jones added 10 points off the bench in over 20 minutes of action for CU.
Clarke's swarming team defense created 26 Eagles turnovers that resulted in the Pride taking 20 more shots from the field as Emmaus with CU taking care of the ball to only commit eight turnovers as the points off of turnovers was 26-7 in favor of the home team.
Leading that defensive charge for the Pride were the point guard duo of Howard off the bench and starter Nick Bryant as Howard had a game-high and new career-high with six steals on top of his 10 points with three rebounds and two assists, then Bryant did a lot of everything with four steals, five rebounds, three assists, while producing three points offensively.
Pride men's basketball will continue their opening week at home when they host the Clarke Classic on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 with four games over two days as CU will host Northwestern College on Friday, Oct. 31 with a scheduled 7:00 p.m. CT opening tip in the Kehl Center on Halloween night.