Late Rally Falls Short as William Penn Drops NAIA First-Round Battle

Orange City, Iowa--The William Penn University men's basketball team mounted a late comeback attempt but ultimately fell to defending national champion College of Idaho, 76-72, in the first round of the NAIA National Championship Friday.

The No. 5-seeded Statesmen (25-7) opened the contest with a narrow 5-4 lead. William Penn briefly regained the advantage at 15-14 with 11:35 remaining in the first half before the Yotes responded with a 9-0 run to build separation.

WPU managed to chip away with four points, but College of Idaho answered with another eight unanswered points to stretch its lead. The two teams then traded points as six fouls created a three-minute stretch without a field goal. In the closing minutes of the half, COI added an 8-3 run to take a 41-29 advantage into the break.

The Statesmen shot 31.3% from the field in the opening half and just 10% from three-point range, while the Yotes connected at a 50% clip overall and 25% from beyond the arc. Alif Bass (Jr., Newark, N.J., Sports Management), Javin Tindall (Jr., Albuquerque, N.M., Sports Management), and Malik Larane (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Sports Management) each scored seven points in the first half. Foday Sheriff (Jr., Upper Darby, Pa., Business Management) collected seven rebounds, while Bass and Tindall added four boards apiece.

College of Idaho carried its momentum into the second half, maintaining a double-digit lead until the final stretch of the contest.

At the 9:26 mark, a three-pointer from Sheriff cut the deficit to 66-55, and he followed with five more points to continue trimming the margin. The Statesmen kept chipping away, and a three-pointer from Larane brought the game within one point at 71-70.

Two free throws from Javion Belle-McCrary (Sr., Reform, Ala., Sports Management) then tied the contest and briefly gave William Penn a one-point lead.

Moments later, a foul by the Statesmen sent the Yotes to the line, allowing them to reclaim the advantage. With nine seconds remaining, a clutch block by College of Idaho denied William Penn a final chance to retake the lead.

For the game, the Statesmen shot 35.9% from the field and 25% from three-point range, while the Yotes finished at 41.4% overall and 20% from deep.

Larane led William Penn with 18 points, while Sheriff recorded another double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Bass added 12 points, and Tindall contributed 10 points. Bass and Tindall also pulled down seven rebounds apiece.

William Penn controlled the glass with a 44-37 rebounding advantage, including a 12-6 edge on the offensive boards. However, COI turned those second opportunities into a 10-7 margin in second-chance points.

The Statesmen committed 11 turnovers that resulted in 15 Yote points, while forcing eight turnovers and converting them into 11 points of their own.

College of Idaho also made its presence felt defensively, recording eight steals compared to William Penn's three. The Yotes added three blocks, including the crucial stop with nine seconds remaining that helped seal the victory.

"It was a great year. This team overcame so a lot and achieved so much," said Head Coach John Henry. "I'm very proud of the players and the coaches of this particular team; they have restored pride back in the program."

He added, "Our two seniors ended their careers tonight on the floor, but their William Penn jersey will never come off!"