FREDERICK, Md. – The Messiah men's basketball team dropped a road decision at Hood College, 95-70, on Wednesday evening. Despite the loss, Evan Parker had a tremendous offensive performance, shooting an impressive 6-for-8 (75%) from beyond the arc, fueling his team-high 18 points. Arkese Claiborne (16 points), Tyler Penley (12 points) and Will Young IV (11 points) all scored in double-figures as well.
 
The defeat drops Messiah's 2021-22 overall record to 4-9 (3-5 MAC Commonwealth).
 
The hosts scored the first four points of the game before Claiborne drained a deep three-pointer at the 17:58 mark to cut Hood's early lead to 4-3. Messiah earned its first lead of the game at the 16:23 mark, a 7-6 advantage, before the Blazers regained the lead with a triple.
 
The Blazers' lead increased to 11-7 before Parker connected on his three-pointer of the game at the 14:50 mark, cutting the deficit to one point (11-10). An 8-2 scoring run separated the Blazers from the Falcons, making the score 19-12, prompting a Messiah timeout with 13:03 remaining in the first half.
 
With 9:15 remaining in the first half, the Blazers held on to an eight-point advantage (24-16), before Penley converted a left-handed layup in transition, the senior forward's eighth point of the game.
 
The Falcons cut their deficit to six points (33-27) with 5:03 remaining in the half when Parker drained his second triple. Hood went down on the other end and answered with a three-pointer of its own, restoring a nine-point lead. After allowing another Blazers triple, Messiah continued to fight as Claiborne rattled home a jumper at the top of the key from an inbound pass to make it a 39-29 ballgame in favor of Hood with just over three minutes left of the half.
 
Each side scored seven points in the final three minutes as Hood led Messiah at halftime, 46-36. Claiborne led the Falcons in scoring in the first half with 11 points as Penley tallied 10 points. Parker drained three triples in the half, making up his nine total points.
 
The Falcons shot 52% (13-25) from the floor in the first half.
 
Young began the scoring in the second half, notching a layup just 25 seconds into the period to trim the deficit to eight points (46-38). The Falcons scored again with 17:46 showing on the clock when Claiborne cashed a pair of free throws, silencing an 8-0 scoring spurt from the hosts.
 
Bryce Coletti got himself on the scoresheet at the 15:45 mark, connecting on a shot from beyond the arc to bring Messiah within 11 points (54-43). Three minutes later, Parker drained his fourth three-pointer of the contest, hitting his fifth on the following possession. Parker's flurry of threes brought Messiah within a 10-point (64-54) deficit with 12L02 remaining in the contest.
 
Following a layup from Penley at the 10:30 mark the Blazers opened up a 5-0 scoring run, causing the Falcons to burn a timeout with 9:37 left on the clock. Hood was ahead comfortably, 72-56, and continued to pour it on, scoring on a layup right after the timeout.
 
The Blazers kept themselves separated from the Falcons in the final nine minutes of the game, maintaining a sizeable lead. In those last nine minutes, Hood outscored Messiah, 21-14, to earn the 95-70 decision. The Falcons had six different players record points during the final stretch.
 
Claiborne reeled in a team-high seven rebounds and recorded two steals in the defeat. Caleb Light, Young, Penley, and Parker all swatted a shot as well. In total, the Falcons had seven different players contribute points, including an eight-point performance from Coletti.
 
What's Next
The Falcons return home this Saturday, Jan. 22, hosting Eastern University on Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena, set to tip-off at 6:00 p.m.