Park University's men's basketball program was at home on Thursday night inside a full Breckon Sports Center against (RV) MidAmerica Nazarene University, coming up short against the Pioneers, 93-67.

Park drops to 7-10 and 5-8 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, while the MidAmerica trends upward to 13-4 and 11-2 in conference play.

It was off to the races for this Pirates team, as Augusto Hausmann and Jasigha Barnes contributed to a 6-0 run to begin the game. MidAmerica Nazarene answered with a trey to start things off and another layup on top, cut the lead to one-point, 6-5. The lead changed hands three times before MidAmerica Nazarene gained control 15-10, the last time the lead changed hands. Jaden Robinson did his part to get Park back in reach after falling behind 19-12 with back-to-back two-point jumpers to bring Park within three points, 19-16 at the 12:14 mark. After a bucket by the Pioneers, Kaden Paul got involved with a fastbreak layup. The junior is a transfer from Volunteer State Community College and is from Murfreesboro, Tenn. It was good to see Paul contribute early for his team and gave four points in the opening half. A 9-2 run put the Pioneers up by 10 points with 9:07 in the first half, 30-20. Soon after, the Pioneers got a 6-0 run that was ended and then answered by a 4-0 run by the Pirates' Christian Bradford with a pair of free-throws and a put back on an offensive rebound to make it 36-26 at 5:25 remaining. A dunk by Augusto Hausman kept things at a 10-point deficit moments later, but a converted and-one on a successful three-pointer matched the Pioneers' largest lead of 14 points. Soon they would reach a 16-point lead at the 1:27 mark right before halftime, 48-34. In the first half Park was 0-6 from behind the three-point line, while the Pioneers were four-of-eight to put them out front at half, 53-36.

Bradford scored in spurts tonight with another 4-0 run for Park in the opening minutes of the second half. But, a 4-0 run by the Pioneers immediately ensued for a 58-40 lead. The Pioneers went up by 18 at the 16:50 mark, which triggered a Kaden Paul three-pointer in the far corner. This was the start of an 8-0 run that lasted from 15:30 to 14:13, 58-48. Within this scoring spree was a technical foul on MidAmerica Nazarene and then a vicious block by Augusto Hausmann to lead to the silky transition lay-in by Jasigha Barnes. MidAmerica Nazarene was able to repel the heat put on by Park with two more three-pointers to restore a 15-point lead, 66-51 with 10:42 remaining. The Pioneers tacked on four more points to regain the last bit of momentum in this game with 8:44 remaining, 70-51. The Pioneers went up by as much as 27 after an 11-0 run within four minutes left to play put the game out of reach, 87-60 with 1:44 to play. Barnes closed out the game with a three-pointer and a transition dunk, but the writing was on the wall as MidAmerica Nazarene went back to Olathe, Kan. with a 93-67 win.

MidAmerica Nazarene shot it at a high clip of 61-percent tonight, while the Pirates were at 40-percent.

The Pioneers were deadly from three with a nine-of-16 count from beyond the arc, while the Pirates were only two-of-15.

Free throws were a non-factor in this one, only six-of-10 for MidAmerica Nazarene and seven-of-13 for the Pirates.

Park was able to score 22 points off 18 Pioneer turnovers, while MidAmerica Nazarene took 15 points on 12 Pirate turnovers.

The Pirates got after it on the offensive glass with 16 rebounds to 11 for the Pioneers.

Hausmann was the main point-scorer for the Pirates with 21 for the evening- with seven rebounds.

Barnes and Bradford were both in double-figures as well with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Paul, Robinson, and Gagi Gvalia were each contributing members too with seven, six, and five-point performances.

Hausmann and Bradford were co-leaders in the rebounding column with seven each.

AJ Watson, Barnes, and Eli Habighorst were great with facilitating the offense. Six assists were ushered in by Watson and four assists apiece for Barnes and Habighorst.

Park travels up north to William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa for their next game on Saturday, January 20 at 4pm. WATCH
Box Score