HESSTON, Kan. — Hesston College men’s basketball earned a hard-fought 80-78 victory over Kansas Christian College on Monday night (Jan. 5), rallying from a halftime deficit and executing down the stretch to secure their first win of the season. The Larks trailed 38-35 at the break but responded with a strong second half, outscoring the Falcons 45-40 after intermission.
Kansas Christian controlled much of the opening half, using second-chance opportunities and inside scoring to build an early lead. Hesston stayed within striking distance behind steady production from Trent Thompson and Brennon Dodge, but the Falcons carried a three-point advantage into halftime, 38-35.
Kansas Christian continued to apply pressure early in the second half, stretching its lead to 56-44 with just over 14 minutes remaining.The Larks responded with their most decisive stretch of the night. Hesston pieced together a 28-15 run fueled by defensive stops and efficient trips to the free-throw line. Thompson and Antonio Odum controlled the glass during the surge, creating extra possessions, while Dodge sparked the offense with a pair of perimeter baskets. A jumper by Brycten Harris at the 4:42 mark capped the run and gave Hesston a 72-71 lead, its first advantage since the opening minutes.
The final minutes featured multiple lead changes and tense possessions. Kansas Christian answered with a basket inside, but Hesston countered with timely free throws from Thompson and Odum to maintain a narrow edge. The Falcons cut the deficit to one with five seconds remaining at the line, but Odum calmly knocked down a free throw with two seconds left to seal the 80-78 decision.
Hesston was led by Brennon Dodge, who scored 21 points while hitting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and dishing out four assists. Odum recorded a double-double with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, going 8-for-11 at the free-throw line, while Thompson added another double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds, anchoring the Larks on both ends of the floor. Dante Smith chipped in 11 points and three assists, and Devin Lewis provided a boost off the bench with nine points, including three three-pointers.
As a team, Hesston shot 26-for-65 from the field, 8-for-26 from three-point range, and 20-for-31 at the foul line, holding a 45-43 rebounding advantage and committing just nine turnovers. Kansas Christian was paced by Damon Werts, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Darion Williams added 14 points and 10 boards. James Lewis finished with 15 points on three three-pointers for the Falcons.
The Larks will be back in action on Tuesday (Jan. 13) as they host Haskell Indian Nations University at 7:30 p.m.
