BALDWIN CITY – Baker University got 28 points off the bench on Wednesday night as they held off a second-half push by Raven Men's Basketball.
Bench scoring combined with a 49.1 percent shooting effort allowed the Wildcats to pick up the 67-65 win over the Ravens to open the second half of the Heart of America Athletic Conference schedule.
Benedictine held Baker scoreless over the final 2 minutes of the game and had two looks to tie the game inside the final 18 seconds of play but couldn't get their shot to fall.
The game played its way through a total of eight ties and 10 lead changes. After trading baskets, the Wildcats pushed ahead by seven points before a pair of 3-pointers from Jayden Temme pulled the margin back to one point, 9-8, just five minutes into the game. Baker was able to maintain their advantage until just under three minutes remained in the first half when Temme scored four straight to tie the game at 29-29.
The lead changed hands four times before halftime where the Wildcats scored a late 3-pointer from Brett Elifritz to take a 36-34 lead into halftime.
The second half played out much like the final minutes of the first half, only this time the Ravens maintained the advantage. A pair of free throws from Matt Austin put the Ravens ahead by three with just over 14 minutes left to play. Those three points matched Benedictine's biggest lead of the half as Baker continued to match the Ravens nearly basket for basket. Jaiden Bristol pushed the Ravens back ahead, 53-52, at the midpoint of the second half but that would be the last time the Ravens held the lead.
Baker wasn't able to pull away from Benedictine as they continued to trade baskets. Benedictine tied the game three times over the final 7 minutes but could never pull ahead.
Benedictine finished the game shooting 44.6 percent from the floor with 8 3-pointers while connecting on 87.5 percent at the free throw line. Temme finished with a game-high 19 points while Austin added 15. Bristol finished with 13 to go along with 7 rebounds.
The Ravens return home at 4 p.m. Saturday as they host (3) William Penn University on Dugan Jones Court. In their first meeting of the season back on Nov. 16, the Statesmen earned an 84-58 win.
