Free Throws Sink Statesmen in 79-70 Setback to Graceland

Oskaloosa–-The William Penn men's basketball team battled Heart of America Athletic Conference foe Graceland, but ultimately fell short in a 79-70 loss on Saturday.

The Statesmen (7-3, 4-2 Heart) started strong, recovering from an early 4-0 deficit with a 7-2 run midway through the first half to seize momentum. However, the Yellowjackets (10-0, 6-0 Heart), who remain undefeated on the season, responded with a dominant 17-5 surge, taking control at the 11:05 mark.

William Penn didn't back down, storming back with 14 unanswered points. The game then became a back-and-forth affair, with Isaac Hoberecht (Jr., Carl Junction, Mo., Business Management) catching fire late in the half. The junior drained three consecutive three-pointers during a 12-4 run, helping WPU head into the locker room with a 45-39 lead.

Hoberecht paced the Statesmen with 11 first-half points, while Jamir Reed (Jr., Philadelphia, Pa., Criminology) and Manny Hammonds (So., Des Moines, Iowa, New Media) chipped in nine and eight points, respectively.

Graceland came out strong in the second half, quickly trimming the deficit with five early points. The Statesmen held their ground, maintaining the lead until the six-minute mark. However, the Yellowjackets capitalized on late-game momentum and numerous misses by William Penn at the charity stripe, finishing on a 16-9 run to secure the nine-point victory.

Hoberecht remained the offensive catalyst for WPU, finishing with 18 points. Hammonds added 14 points, while Jacore Williams (Jr., Little Rock, Ark., Business Management) contributed 13. Reed delivered an all-around performance with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Despite solid perimeter shooting (38.1% from beyond the arc), the Statesmen struggled overall, shooting just 39.0% from the field, compared to Graceland's 46.4%. As aforementioned, free throw woes plagued WPU as the team connected on only 47.1% of its attempts (16-of-34).

Rebounding proved to be another critical factor, with the Statesmen being outrebounded 46-33, including pulling down just five offensive boards. Turnovers added to the challenge, with the Yellowjackets scoring 15 points off 15 WPU miscues.

"It's next to impossible to win a college basketball game when you are outrebounded 13 times and miss 18 free throws," Head Coach John Henry said. "Add to that the fact Graceland was more physical than us--it's a disappointing result."

Up Next: The Statesmen will look to regroup during a week-long break before hitting the road to face Heart competitor Peru State next Saturday at 4 p.m. in Peru, Neb.