GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah men's basketball team took an early lead against the Wilson Phoenix, but Wilson went wild from beyond the arc in the first half to take a 38-20 lead en route to a 73-63 victory. Wilson went 8-16 from three-point land in the first half, shooting over top of the Falcons' zone.
 
Tim Edwards hammered two dunks in the second half, but it was not enough as Messiah fell by a 73-63 final score.
 
Edwards led the Falcons with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.
 
Messiah will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Reading to take on the Albright Lions at 3:00 p.m. in their final MAC Commonwealth game prior to Christmas break.
 
How It Happened
The Falcons opened the game with a Tim Edwards layup just 15 seconds into the game. After The Phoenix countered with a three, Arkese Claiborne knocked down a three to give Messiah a 5-3 lead. That lead was 7-6 following another Edwards jumper.
 
The Wilson College Phoenix rose from the ashes of that early Messiah lead, hitting a barrage of three points to build a 38-20 lead after 20 minutes of play. It was a 10-0 run in less than three minutes that gave Wilson the lead at 17-6. They never looked back in the first half with Wilson's Rick Godwin Jr. leading the way with 16 points on a 5-8 effort from beyond the arc. Wilson used a 19-6 run in the later portion of the half to extend their lead to a comfortable cushion at the break.
 
In the second half, Messiah started the period with a 13-5 run to pull with 10 at 43-33. Tyler Penley led the run with eight points, knocking down a three early in the half.  Wilson bumped their lead to as many 16 points with 7:22 remaining at 57-41, but the Falcons scrapped back. Messiah pulled with single digits for the first time since midway through the first half with a 15-7 run that made it an eight-point game with 2:08 to play. Tim Edwards and Arkese Claiborne led the charge with 11 combined points. Edwards highlighted the run, going right down the middle of the lane for a two-handed dunk with just over five minutes remaining. The slam cut the lead to 62-47.
 
The lead quickly went back to double-digits for the Phoenix with free throws down the stretch as Wilson earned the 73-63 victory.
 
What's Up Next
With the loss, Messiah falls to 5-4 on the season. The Falcons will be back in action when they travel to Albright to take on the Lions on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The Falcons will not play at home until they host the Hood Blazers on Jan. 4 at 6:00 p.m.