Park University's men's basketball program ran away with a victory in Breckon Sports Center against Clarke University on Saturday, bringing down the Pride 101-62.

Park is now on a two-game win-streak, both were over 20-point victories, and soar to 6-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Pride are down so far in 2023-24 at 3-7 on the year with a 1-5 Heart record.

Park was off to a 7-0 run to begin the game capped off by a DeMarcus Hudson three-pointer at 18:05. The Pride got on the board with a layup, but the floodgates would then open as a 16-0 run would rain down by Park with three more three-point makes tacked on by Hudson and Savian Edwards.

 For the game, Park shot 52-percent from beyond the arc, draining 13-of-25 which is Park's most makes from distance since they had 14 three-point makes against Bacone College on November 12, 2021. One can't help but remember how the result was flippped from this year to last year's matchup with Clarke. In 2022-23, Park lost to the Pride in Breckon Sports Center 87-60 brought on by Clarke's program record setting day of 19 made three-pointers. This time around it would be Park to light it up from three-point land.

With under 10 minutes in the first half, Clarke began to get their feel again and came within 13 points of Park at the 7:48 mark, 30-17. This was a short-lived momentum swing for the Pride though, as Park went on an 8-0 run on three-pointers by Hudson and AJ Watson, and a layup by Augusto Hausmann. Park could do no wrong and finished out the half at 49-30 ahead of the Pride. The Pirates shot over 50-percent from the field at 55.6-percent in the first half.

An 8-3 run by Park started off the second half to force a 30 second by Clarke at 16:05, 57-33. A couple minutes later another 6-0 run was claimed on four points from Bradford and a layup by Watson. Both of these two were Park's leading scorers on 20-point and 16-point days.

Bradford had one of the highest rebound totals by a Pirate in recent memory with 24 boards, including 10 off the offensive glass. This is his first start on the year and he made the most of it with a double-double. In 2023-24 he has averaged 9.1 rebounds per game. He was today's Pirate Post-Game interview as well.


 
Watson added two more three-pointers in the second half and led the Pirates with a four-of-seven day from behind the arc and his season-high of nine assists. He now averages nearly five assists per game in his Pirate debut as a graduate senior.

Park's lead only grew as the game went on as they led by 44 points at 3:49 left in the game and earned the 101-62 victory. This is the second time this year the team has surpassed the century mark and is the first season of multiple 100-point victories since the 2015-16 season when Park reached that feat five times. This is the second time Park has gone above 100 points against a Heart conference opponent. The Heart opponent they went over 100 points against was Graceland in the 2020-21 season, Park's first year in the Heart.

Park was able to play through 18 turnovers compared to 15 giveaways by the Pride. Park was able to earn more points off the turnovers though with 21 points to only 15 for Clarke.

Park shot over 50-percent from the field and three-point range for the game, 55.1-percent and 52-percent respectively.

The Pirates had their second highest free-throw percentage of the year as well, shooting 85.7-percent from the line.

Every player made an appearance on the floor today for Park and all but one Pirate appeared in the scoring column.

The entire starting five were in double-figure scoring. Hudson was third in scoring with 14 points and six rebounds, while Edwards and Hausmann had 10 points.  

Graceland University will be Park's next opponent, but it will not be for another week as Park has a mid-week bye to prepare for Saturday, December 16 in Breckon Sports Center against the Yellowjackets at 2pm. WATCH
Box Score