The Park University men's basketball program took on MidAmerica Nazarene University on Wednesday evening in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Game of the Week in Breckon Sports Center. The Pioneers kept the lead for the majority of the game in the 70-64 win over Park.

The Pirates and Pioneers are now tied in Heart standings at No. 4 and both teams have head-to-head wins on the road against the other. Park's record is now 12-10 with an 11-7 Heart record, while the Pioneers with the win reach the same win total as Park on the year and in conference.

Christian Bradford and Abubakar Kromah were the first two players to score in the contest and Park was off running 4-0. The Pioneers soon settled in and hit a layup and a three-pointer for their first lead at 8-6 with 15:43 in the half. Two more lead changes would come, starting with an and-one by Kromah to retrieve a one-point lead, a couple minutes later the Pioneers would go on a 6-0 run with an and-one and three-pointer combo, 14-9. The lead would be pushed to 10 points for the Pioneers with two more three-point plays on another and-one and shot from range, and with 8:43 to go Park was down 22-12. A dunk by Jaden Robinson at the 5:50 mark infused some energy back into the bench and the crowd and with under five minutes two steals by Bradford and Tristan McRoberts helped tie it up. Kromah and Bradford were able to finish off those steals with points and at the 3:04 mark the game was tied 25-25. McRoberts gave Park the lead with a driving layup, but a three-pointer and another two-point basket drove the lead back to MidAmerica Nazarene 30-27 to end the half.

A 6-0 run began the second half for MidAmerica Nazarene. McRoberts hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding at 18:32 to make it 36-30. Both teams traded another set of three-point shots, including a make by Jasigha Barnes, but the answer maintained a six-point lead for MidAmerica Nazarene, 39-33. There would be another and-one by MidAmerica Nazarene at 13:54 to push the lead to eight points, 44-36. Kromah led Park in scoring and he also led the charge in the second half with three consecutive scores to come within two points at the 11:36 mark, 46-44. The Pioneers multiple times down the stretch hit shots and did not relent the lead, as was the case after Kromah's run and the Pioneers with a four-point swing got to a 50-44 lead with 10:34 to play. A big three-pointer by MidAmerica Nazarene with 6:03 left gave them an eight-point lead, which minutes later would be increased to an 11-point advantage at the 2:56 mark, 64-53. Remarkably, another 6-0 run by Kromah go the game back in reach and Gagi Gvalia helped the cause with a layup at the 40 second mark to come within four points, 65-61. Jaden Robinson hit an and-one, but could not sink the free-throw. Kromah swooped in for the offensive board and drew the foul, but only made one free-throw to come within three-points of the Pioneers with 21 seconds to go, 67-64. Three free-throws went down for MidAmerica Nazarene, while Park was unable to get another score down and the Pioneers took the win, 70-64.

Park shot 39.7-percent from the field, while MidAmerica Nazarene held the 46.3-percent advantage. Another disparity was three-point shooting, seven-of-21 for the Pioneers and two-of-14 for Park.

It was a dismal night from the line for Park at eight-of-22, while MidAmerica was at 13-of-19.

Park had six less turnovers than MidAmerica Nazarene with nine more points coming off of turnovers at 19 to 10 for MidAmerica Nazarene.

Both sides were matched at 11 second chance points and only a four-point difference was in bench scoring.

Kromah was stellar with 27 points on a 10-of-17 night from the field. He also led in rebounding with eight boards and co-led in assists with four.

McRoberts was in double-figures with 11 points and was tied with Bradford on six rebounds.

Bradford and Shawndale Ross were making plays defensively with three steals apiece.

Park will travel to Canton, Mo. on Saturday, February 1 to pair up with Culver-Stockton College at 4pm.  WATCH
Box Score