OWENSBORO, KY. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College men's basketball team suffered an 81-63 loss to Auburn University Montgomery on Saturday afternoon to cap-off the Hampton Inn by Hilton Thanksgiving Classic. Wyatt Battaile recorded a career-high as the Panthers turn their attention on the opening of the Great Midwest Conference season on Thursday.
 
Stew Currie was the first player off the bench for the Panthers (1-5) to help match-up defensively and five minutes into the game Currie's jumper from the paint gave Wesleyan a 9-8 lead. The Warhawks (6-4) answered with three consecutive three-point baskets to take a 17-9 lead with 13 minutes left in the half. Cameron Cartwright ended the AUM run with a bucket of his own as the Panthers mounted a comeback.
 
Cartwright's bucket started a 9-0 rally by the Panthers that saw back-to-back lay-ups from Mohamed Abu Arisha followed by Battaile connecting from the perimeter, returning a one-point edge to Wesleyan, 18-17. The half of runs continued as the Warhawks scored 12 unanswered points over the next six minutes, taking a 29-18 lead with three minutes left in the half.
 
AUB went into the locker-room with a 35-26 lead. The Warhawks shot 54% from the field including a six of 10 clip from beyond the arc. Their prolific shooting did not slow down in the second half as they connected on 57% of their shots.
 
Head Coach Drew Cooper juggled the line-up coming out of the break, looking for more advantageous match-ups. An early three by Battaile followed by a lay-up from Adam Goetz and the Panthers were within 37-31. The War Hawks quickly double their lead at the 15 minute mark, 45-33.
 
Goetz hit a pair of three-point baskets around Jo Griffin's three as the Panthers pulled back to within five, 47-42. The deficit remained at five points (49-44) after a lay-up by Nick Fort with nine minutes left in the game. However, a minute later the Warhawks extended their lead to double-figures and it remained there to the finish.
 
Goetz finished with 23 points and seven rebounds. Battaile came off the bench to record a career high 15 points. He also grabbed five rebounds.
 
The Panthers will begin a new season on Thursday as they open G-MAC play with a match-up against Ohio Dominican. Tip-off at the historic Sportscenter is scheduled for 7:45PM