#8 Alice Lloyd Eagles blister the nets; defeat #4 Roberts Wesleyan University 99-71 in NCCAA Men’s National Championship

Eagles now play Mission University (MO) on Friday @ 5:00 pm

Lake Winona, IN: On March 21st, the #8 seeded Alice Lloyd Eagles continued their journey in Lake Winona, Indiana, in the NCCAA Men's DI National Championship. In this contest, the opponent would be the Roberts Wesleyan Redhawks from Rochester, New York The Eagles showcased their long-range marksmanship and impressive teamwork to take the huge 99-71 victory.

The Bluegrass boys, who were coming off a tough defeat at the hands of top-seeded Cedarville University, came out determined to make amends. Their opponent would be the ultra-athletic Redhawks, who also have dual affiliation with NCAA DII.

In the opening stanza, sparked by senior forward Ben Soumahoro's scoring, the Bluegrass boys pulled out to an early 10-4 lead.  The lead would remain in the 6–12-point range for a period of time. However, the Pippa Passes boys would get a huge boost off the bench from junior guard Jacob Curry, who swished four long-trifecta to fuel a massive run. When Curry drained his final shot, a 30-foot bomb at the buzzer, the Pippa Passes posse would take an impressive 52-32 advantage into the dressing room at intermission.

In the second half, the Kentucky Eagles vowed to keep their advantage and came out ready to continue the battle. Senior guard Jared Strickland and freshman forward Jackson Tackett would join Soumahoro in keeping the Redhawks at bay on the inside while Curry continued his attack from the perimeter.

The lead would balloon to thirty-six points with 8:52 remaining as every member of the squad had a chance to contribute to the most impressive win.

For Alice Lloyd (16-16), they were led on the night by Soumahoro with 23 points, on 10-14 accuracy. He also grabbed 7 rebounds, blocked 1 shot, and handed off 5 assists.

He was followed by Curry, who bagged 6-11 trifectas for 18 points. Strickland added 13 points, 6 boards, and 4 steals. Tackett chipped in with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

In addition, sophomore guard Koji Anderson and senior guard Brady Nelson contributed 9 points and 3 assists, respectively, with 8 points and 3 assists.

On the day, the Caney Creek crew shot 57.4% (39-68) from the field, including a staggering 63.3% in the second half. They also drilled 42.4% (14-33) from beyond the arc and 46.7% (7-15) from the charity stripe. They added 48 rebounds, 19 assists, 9 steals, and blocked 1 shot.

RWU was led by Malik Brooks with 26 points. His squad shot 42.6% (26-61) from the field and 26.7% (8-30) from beyond the arc. Additionally, they snared 25 total rebounds, handed off 15 assists, and stole 10 balls.

The Eagles now move to the consolation bracket championship, where they face another athletic squad, the Mission University Patriots, at 5:00 pm. The #3 seed is located in Springfield, Missouri.