The men’s basketball team began their season on November 2 with one of the highest preseason rankings in recent school history. The Pirate have since limped their way to a 2-3 record through November 29, with two of their losses coming against American Midwest Conference (AMC) opponents.
Park logged some early season action in the MNU Tipoff Classic on November 2 and 3, splitting their first two games. Though the tournament represented Park’s first few games of the year, the bulk of their season wouldn’t start until two weeks later against conference foe Missouri Baptist University who walked into Breckon Sports Center with an early season mark of 3-1.
Park began their home opener in an efficient manner, shooting 47 percent from the field on just 19 shots. The Pirates also converted seven of their 10 attempts from the free throw line. The Spartans countered Park’s efficiency with a run-and-gun offensive mindset, attempting 15 three point shots in the first half alone. The halftime score was knotted at 26 despite the Spartans posting a 37 percent mark from the field and going scoreless from the charity stripe. The second half told a different story; Park’s focused and selective shooting crumbled to a painful 9-32 clip. Missouri Baptist took advantage of the Pirates’ shooting woes. The Spartans shot 51 percent from the field and 6-8 from beyond the arc, amassing a double-digit lead with just 10 minutes left. Park failed to close the gap and dropped their second game of the season by 17 points. Undoubtedly the most telling stat of the game was the disparity in three point shooting: the Spartans made nearly as many three’s (10) as Park attempted (11).
Two days later the Pirates would host another AMC opponent, William Woods University. The Owls came to Parkville with a minus six points per game differential and a meager 2-4 record. The Pirates’ anemic offensive performance continued, however, as Park failed to break the 27-point mark in either half. William Woods held a commanding 14 point halftime lead which only grew in the second half en route to a 71-50 victory over Park. The Pirates shot 19-67 from the field as opposed to William Woods’ mark of 52 percent on just 50 shots. Park’s poor three point shooting again reared its ugly head, converting just three of their 22 attempts from deep. William Woods junior guard Shamari Denson finished a perfect 11-11 from the field and led all scorers with 27 points; Park’s starting five combined for 26 points. The loss dropped Park to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
After getting punched in the mouth in back-to-back games, a matchup with No. 18 MidAmerica Nazarene University didn’t seem favorable for the Pirates. The undefeated Pioneers had already knocked off the No. 10 team in the nation and came into the game featuring the 8th highest scoring offense in the nation. Despite the statistical mismatch, Park was still No.17 in the nation; and on November 21, they finally played like it. Park harassed the high-scoring Pioneer offense in the first half, forcing 11 turnovers while holding MNU to 6-19 shooting clip. The Pirates paired their stifling defense with their third highest scoring quarter of the young season; Park shot 52 percent from the field, along with 12 assists, to rack up a 41-26 halftime lead. The Pirate defense continued their ball-hawking ways in the second half, forcing another 11 turnovers while holding the Pioneers to just 2-13 from downtown. Though MNU would rally within six points with 13 minutes left to play, Park largely coasted to a 75-59 victory. The Pirates put five players in double figures, led by junior guard Zach Rutland who tallied 24 points along with seven assists. Freshman guard Juan Quarles led Park in three point shooting percentage, draining three of his five attempts from the three-point line while sophomore forward Allen Hyatt finished one rebound shy of a double-double. Park’s victory over MNU moved the Pirates to 2-3 and represents their best win of the season.
Through five games Park’s identity has begun to take shape. The Pirates’ scoring offense currently sits 85th out of 89 possible teams. Fortunately for Park, having the fourth worst offense in the nation means things can only get better. But until then the Pirates will have to rely on the 14th ranked scoring defense. If the defense continues its production and the offense avoids the bitterly cold shooting they occasionally display, Park should be able to quickly get their season back on track.
The Pirates have plenty of opportunities to make up for their two early season conference losses, with 20 conference games still left on the docket. For now, Park currently sits two spots from the bottom of the AMC. Two straight losses will surely put a dampen on the Pirates’ national ranking as well. Luckily for Park, William Woods was only two points away from cracking the preseason top 25 so their loss to the Owls may not hurt too much. Park’s victory over No. 18 MNU also helps. If the Pirates win their next two games before the next edition of the polls on December 4, Park will likely remain with the top 25.