Wildcats Close Out 2023 Conference Tear with Big 92-57 Victory at Benedictine

ATCHISON, Kan. – Winning nine of its first 10 games against Heart teams, Baker men's basketball put a nice bow on the 2023 side of the season with a big 92-57 victory at Benedictine on Tuesday night to head into the new year with a 9-1 conference record and a six-game winning streak.

The Wildcats shot a blistering 60 percent from the floor and hit seven 3-pointers, while holding the Ravens to just 21 points in the first half to give BU a season sweep of its conference rival after defeating BC by 20 points at home back on Nov. 15.

It was another all-around scoring effort for Baker with 12 different players tallying a point in the game and its leading scorers coming from the bench in Ahmed Mahgoub and Keynan Russell who each finished with 14 points. Dylan Smith and Ty Henry reached double figures as well with Smith going for 13 points, four assists and three steals while Henry chipped in 11 points for his ninth double-digit game of the year.

The Ravens would score the game's first three points, but would never hold the lead again as a 3-pointer by Smith put Baker in front for the first and final time just two minutes into the game. The Wildcats started to build up their lead midway through the first half with a basket by Russell giving them a 10-point lead at the 9:34 mark.

Mahgoub and Russell provided the scoring for BU during a six-minute stretch that saw them go up, 36-19 before Smith and Henry connected on back-to-back threes to close out the half with Henry banking in a buzzer-beater to make it a 49-21 lead for Baker at the break.

The Wildcats continued to pour it on in the second half as well with Quentin Harvey getting a tough floater in the lane to fall and making it a 30-point cushion for Baker.

With under seven minutes remaining, Cason Richardson followed up a Nick Whittick three by slicing his way through the BC defense for a layup to give Baker its largest lead of the game, coming on a whopping 42-point margin.

Both benches would come in for the action down the stretch as the Wildcats finished off their hot start to the 2023-24 season with their largest margin of victory of the year with a 92-57 win.

The Wildcats wrap up a first half of the season that saw them win 10 of their last 11 games and boast a 9-1 Heart record with all but two of their conference wins (7) coming by at least 16 points.

Following the break, Baker will host MidAmerica Nazarene for its first game of 2024 with the conference matchup set for Jan. 3, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. in Baldwin City.

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