Program Records Set in Men's Basketball Game at William Penn

Oskaloosa, Iowa, (Dec. 6, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College basketball teams traveled to Oskaloosa, Iowa, Saturday afternoon, for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against William Penn (Iowa).  The women's team overcame an early deficit and pulled away for a 70-57 victory.  The men's team played close, but fell in a high-scoring game, 92-90.

The men's game opened with the two teams trading points through the first several minutes.  Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.) put in the first basket, followed by free throws from Junior Ryan Lewis (Fontana, Calif.).  Davenport added another jumper with just over four minutes off the clock, and sent Missouri Valley in front, 6-5.  William Penn outscored MVC by a 7-2 margin over the next two minutes, moving the team ahead, 12-8.  Davenport scored the next 10 points for the Vikings, but the team sat in a 21-18 deficit at the 11-minute mark.  The Statesmen added to their lead through the midway point of the half, sitting on top by a 26-18 score.  Senior Antwon Ferrell (Newman, Ga.) ended the Missouri Valley drought with a three-pointer, then added a layup to close the gap down to 28-23 with less than nine minutes to play in the half.  The Vikings continued to chip away, as Davenport came up with a steal then added a fast-break layup.  Another layup from Davenport moments later, and a three-pointer by Ferrell brought MVC to within a 32-30 score with seven minutes on the clock.  William Penn answered by outscoing Missouri Valley by an 8-2 margin over the next two minutes to hold a 40-32 advantage.  The Statesmen stayed in front, and led by a 47-38 score near the three-minute mark.  The Vikings worked back late in the half, as Ferrel had four points and Junior Cael Simpson (Gold Coast, Australia) made a late layup, but the team trailed, 52-47, at halftime.

The second half began with a pair of free throws from Davenport, along with a steal from Ferrell that led to a Sophomore Darrin Thompson (Huntsville, Ala.) layup to pull Missouri Valley back to a 52-51 score with one minute played. William Penn stayed in front, at 56-51, while a layup from Lewis and a jumper by Ferrell put MVC in a 56-55 deficit just past the 17-minute mark.  The Statesmen gradually built up its lead over the next two minutes, holding a 64-57 advantage.  The two teams traded points through a 68-63 score with 12-minutes remaining in the contest.  Missouri Valley followed with a run, as Thompson, Junior Keanu Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.) and Davenport each made field goals, while Davenport added a pair of free throws to close an 8-0 run midway through the half to send the Vikings ahead, 71-68.  William Penn briefly went back in front, 73-71, but Ferrell answered with a three-pointer, and Davenport sank a jumper at the eight-minute mark to give MVC a 76-73 advantage.  The Vikings went scoreless over the next four-minute stretch, as WPU regained the lead, 79-76.  Ferrell ended the drought with a pair of free throws, while Davenport added a three-point play to tie the game at 81-81 at the three-minute mark.  The next six points scored for Missouri Valley over the next minute came from Davenport to send the team ahead, 87-85.  The lead switched between the two teams late, including a three-pointer from Davenport to send MVC in front, 90-89.  The Statesmen answered on their next possession, using a field goal and free throw to take a 92-90 lead with 11-seconds left.  Missouri Valley had one more chance, but a turnover near midcourt ended the opportunity for a last-second basket, and the Vikings fell, 92-90.

Davenport led with a new program-record 50 points in the game.  Davenport becomes the program's first player to reach 50 points in a game, and tops the previous program-record of 45 points in a single-game set by Brody Gronewold in 2017 and Reggie Palmer in 1989.  Davenport finished 16 of 31 from the floor.  The 31 attempts also sets a new program-record, breaking the previous mark of 26 attempts from Larry Plummer in 2019, Gronewold in 2017 and Palmer in 1989.  Ferrell added 22 points and six assists.  Missouri Valley came down with 21 offensive rebounds and forced 13 turnovers.

Missouri Valley drops to 7-5 overall and 3-3 in the Heart.  William Penn improves to 8-3 on the season and 3-2 in the conference.

Up next, the women's basketball team will host Health Sciences & Pharmacy (Mo.) in a non-conference game, Thursday at 6 p.m., inside the Burns Athletic Complex.  The men's team will next play Dec. 13, at home against Columbia (Mo.) in a non-conference game, with tip-off at 4 p.m.

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About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.