ELKINS, W. Va. – With a 104-94 win at Davis & Elkins on Saturday, the Kentucky Wesleyan College men's basketball team claimed the Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season title and the right to host the 2016-17 G-MAC Conference Tournament March 2-4 at the Owensboro Sportscenter. The victory marks the 20th straight for the Panthers as they improve to 22-2 overall and 9-0 in conference play. The Senators fall to 11-13 on the season and 6-4 in the G-MAC.
Davis & Elkins scored the first basket of the game but the Panthers responded with a 17-0 run over the next 5:54 to take a commanding 17-2 lead. Malek Harris scored eight points in the run and it was capped off with a dunk from Ken-Jah Bosley after Shaakir Lindsey forced a turnover.
The Senators stormed back to cut the deficit to three points at the 6:54 mark after a three-point play. Kentucky Wesleyan shot 57.1% from the field in the first half to take a 47-40 lead to the break. Harris scored 13 points in the first half alone after shooting five-for-six from behind the arc.
At the 15:36 mark of the second half, Adam Stanford stole the ball and made the long pass to Bosley who made a fast break up lay up to regain an 11-point lead. Davis & Elkins cut the deficit to five but the Panthers pulled away again, regaining a 13-point lead with a jumper from Charles Foster.
Jacks notched a free throw with just under six minutes remaining to put the Panthers ahead by 17, their largest lead of the game. The game seemed out of reach for the Senators, but they kept Panther fans on the edge of their seats with an 8-0 run to come within nine with less than five minutes remaining.
Kentucky Wesleyan took a 93-80 lead with 2:06 remaining after Brandon Hatton sunk two free throws. The Senators scored a three-pointer with 00:39 left but a pair of free throws from Harris and a third from Bosley put the game away and gave the Panthers their 20th straight win
Bosley finished with 32 points, the eighth time this season he has reached 20 points and the second he's eclipsed 30. The senior drained six shots from behind the arc and another 10 from field goal range. Harris posted a career-high 25 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
Foster tabbed his second career double-double with 15 points and 11 assists. Jordan Jacks led the team with 12 rebounds while scoring nine points. Hatton scored 10 points and tabbed one block along with Jacks, Sam Williams and Michael Vigilance.
The Panthers return home next week to host a pair of G-MAC games starting on Thursday, Feb. 16 against Cedarville at 7:45 pm. Saturday, Feb. 18 marks senior day for the Panthers as they host Ohio Valley at 3:15 pm CT.
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.
