LIBERTY, Mo. — Davenport and Rockhurst were tied at halftime in the season opener, but the Hawks improved their shooting percentage in the second half to defeat the Panthers 82-72 at the Mabee Center on Friday on the campus of William Jewell College.
Davenport opened the first half with a high-scoring effort, matching Rockhurst's intensity.
Ken Walker set the tone early with a jumper in the paint and later connected on key 3-pointers, including one at 1:46 that brought them level with Rockhurst. Walker's performance was historic, as he became the first Panther to score 30 points in a debut. He also became the first Panther since Marcedus Leech Jr. to score 30 points in a game. Leech Jr. scored 36 points on Feb. 8, 2024, against SVSU.
Imran Deen's dunk at 1:12 provided a brief lead for Davenport 34-32, but the Hawks' free throws by Drenin Dinkins tied it up before the half ended with one second left. Dinkins and
Zavion McClendon were both assessed technical fouls. The first half concluded with a 36–36 tie.
Davenport faced a challenging second half, where the Hawks opened with a strong run, including back-to-back three-pointers by Jaden Flournoy that pushed them ahead early in the half at 42-36. Davenport responded with
Jermaine Taggart's jumper at 18:18, but a series of turnovers and fouls allowed the Hawks to extend their lead further as the half progressed at 47-38 prior to the first media timeout.
Ken Walker was pivotal for Davenport, scoring consistently, including a three-pointer at 7:45 that attempted to close the gap at 66-59. Walker also tied his career-high with four steals, a mark he previously set at Earlham on Dec. 2, 2023, against Hanover. Despite Walker's efforts and a late push, Davenport was unable to overcome the Hawks' momentum, ending the game trailing 82–72.
Davenport finished the game shooting 41.9 percent, but struggled to find their range from the arc going 6-of-22. They were very accurate at the free throw line going 14-of-17 for the contest. Taggert finished with 10 points off the bench in nearly 17 minutes and was 4-of-8 from the floor. Walker's 30 points came on 11-of-23 shooting and 5-of-5 at the charity stripe. Rockhurst got a team-high 20 points from Jaylen Wesley, who also had a double-double with 10 rebounds. The Hawks led for 33:43 of the possible 40 minutes and the game featured six ties and three lead changes.
Davenport Top Performers
Ken Walker
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- 30 points
- 11/23 field goals made
- 3/10 three-pointers made
- 4 steals
Dylan Smith
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- 8 points
- 7 rebounds
- 1 block
Imran Deen
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- 6 points
- 3 blocks
- 3 rebounds
Looking ahead, Davenport will stay in Liberty, Mo. to face William Jewell on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. The Cardinals hold a slim 4-3 edge in the all-time series against the Panthers and have won the last three meetings.
