HESSTON, Kan. — The Hesston College men’s basketball team battled intensely throughout the entire game, but ultimately dropped an 89-75 decision to Doane University Tuesday (Jan. 27) night at Yost Gym. The Larks stayed within striking distance for much of the first half and early second before the Tigers pulled away behind hot shooting and timely defensive stops.
Hesston came out with energy, opening the game with a 3-pointer by Brennon Dodge just after tip-off to stake the Larks to an early 3-2 lead. Dodge and Antonio Odum pushed the pace, and Odum buried a second 3-pointer to extend the lead to 6-2 midway through the half. Despite turnovers and a couple of miscues, Hesston matched Doane’s intensity early with rebounding from Trent Thompson and defensive pressure that forced a couple of Doane turnovers.
Doane answered with a 7-7 tie on a 3 by Casen Chaney, and the Tigers began chipping away, using balanced scoring to take a lead. Doane’s Jonan Claussen hit a deep triple and Justus Gardiner contributed inside and out, helping Doane close the half with a 41-34 advantage. Hesston shot 36.7 percent in the first half but kept things close thanks to timely free throws and hustle plays.
The second half saw Doane push its lead to double figures at times, but the Larks refused to fold. Dodge continued to attack, scoring relentlessly and finishing with a game-high 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Hesston tightened up inside, with Odum and Thompson battling on the boards and helping keep possessions alive. Odum added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Thompson chipped in nine points and nine rebounds overall.
Midway through the second half, Hesston trimmed the deficit to six after Odum knocked down pressure free throws, forcing a Doane timeout. The Larks trimmed another lead late on a tough drive by Brycten Harris, who finished with 13 points, but Doane’s depth and sustained outside shooting kept the Tigers ahead. Hesston cut the lead to single digits with under five minutes to go after a pair of free throws by Lewis, but Doane responded with back-to-back buckets to regain separation.
Hesston shot 39.3 percent from the field and hit 77.8 percent of its free throws (21-of-27), key to staying competitive throughout the contest. Thompson, who was responsible for seven made free throws, set a new program record with 144 points from the charity stripe this season. The previous record was set by Craig Birky, a member of the Hesston College athletic hall of fame class of 2025, in the 1982-83 season with 138 made free throws. The sophomore from Okmulgee, Okla. currently sits 38 made free throws away from the career record of 253, which is also held by Birky, with three games left in the regular season.
For Doane, Chaney led the Tigers with 19 points, connecting on four triples, while Gardiner scored 17 and Claussen chipped in 12. Doane’s overall efficient shooting — 54.4 percent for the game and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc (11-of-22) — proved tough to counter.
Hesston returns to action Saturday (Jan. 31) as it looks to build momentum back in conference play as they take on Arkansas Baptist at 2 p.m.
