WPU Claim Last-Minute Win Over William Woods

Oskaloosa--The William Penn men's basketball team battled through a momentum-swapping matchup but delivered in the clutch, pulling out a 76–69 win over William Woods Friday night in Heart of America Athletic Conference action.

The Statesmen (6–3, 1–2 Heart) claimed their first league win of the 2025–2026 campaign despite an uneven performance.

The opening half featured rapid lead changes before the Owls (3–5, 1–2 Heart) built a 9–4 edge. WPU responded with an 18-point run and took control heading into halftime with a 34–24 lead. The Statesmen shot 37.8% from the floor and 16.7% from deep in the first 20 minutes.

Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) sparked the offense early with eight points, while Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) anchored the glass with seven boards before the break.

The second half saw the tide swing as the Owls surged with a 17–4 run to even the score at 47-47. William Woods eventually built a seven-point advantage, but the Statesmen stayed composed. WPU erased the deficit and reclaimed the lead with under two minutes to play, sealing the win at the free-throw line and with disciplined defense.

Alif Bass paced the attack with 15 points. Sheriff posted his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Larane and Daivion Boleware (Jr., Jackson, Mich., Psychology) each added 10 points, while Larane grabbed seven rebounds. Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) and Dijarn Russell-Walters (Jr., Nottingham, England, Psychology) chipped in six rebounds apiece.

Both teams finished nearly identical from the field — WPU at 40.3% and WWU at 40.4% — while the Owls owned the edge from deep (40% to 27.3%). The difference came on the boards as the Statesmen dominated 50–32, including 18 offensive rebounds leading to 15 second-chance points. WPU also turned 14 forced turnovers into 19 points.

"We didn't play very well tonight, but winning is the goal," Head Coach John Henry said. "Alif Bass and Dijarn Russell-Walters were awesome tonight."

Up Next: William Penn travels to Cedar Rapids to face Mount Mercy next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Heart play.