KENOSHA, Wis. — Davenport men's basketball secured a 68-54 victory over Parkside (9-9, 3-7 GLIAC) at De Simone Arena on Saturday afternoon. Davenport led from start to finish, building a 16-point halftime advantage. The team capitalized on points in the paint, scoring 34, and forced seven steals contributing to 14 points off turnovers. The Rangers narrowed the gap in the second half, but Davenport maintained control to clinch the win.
Davenport (11-7, 5-5 GLIAC) began the first half with strong offensive execution, and jetted out to an 8-2 lead at the first media timeout. The lead grew to 18-4 at the 11:22 mark as
Keane Hinkle scored on a driving layup.
Ken Walker once again had a stellar scoring game and reached 11 points by the 8:31 mark when his triple gave DU a 23-12 lead. Walker continued to score with a jumper and another three-pointer at 6:27 for a 28-12 advantage.
The Panthers increased their lead to 36-16 as Walker reached 22 points in the first half coming at the 1:53 mark.
Davenport opened the second half with a 36-20 lead and
Curtis Jackson made a pair of free throws to opening the scoring. The Davenport lead would stay in the 17-20 point range over the next nine minutes and match points with the Rangers.
Dylan Smith gave DU a 55-33 lead at the 10:49 mark with a dunk to give him 13 points. The Rangers reduced the deficit to 64-50 with 3:43 remaining, but the Panthers would not let them get any closer in a 68-54 victory.
Walker led Davenport with 28 points, converting six three-pointers and finishing a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Marshaun Flakes contributed defensively with three steals while adding nine points. Smith posted 13 points and collected eight rebounds, showcasing his presence on the boards.
Imran Deen added two blocks to his four-point performance, providing a strong defensive effort in the game.
Game Notes:
- Walker had his fifth 20-point scoring game of the season.
- Davenport snapped a five-game losing streak against the Rangers.
- Smith scored in double figures for the eighth time this season.
- Neither team missed a free throw with Davenport going 7-of-7 and the Rangers going 11-of-11.
- Davenport held the Rangers to 17.2 three-point percentage, which is an opponent low this season.
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Keane Hinkle tied a season high with three assists.
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Bernie Varnesdeel tied his season with two assists and grabbed two boards in seven-plus minutes.
The Panthers will shift their focus to Michigan Tech, who comes to the DU Student Center on Thursday, Jan. 29 for a 7:30 pm game. The Huskies won 77-68 in the first meeting this season in Houghton back on Jan. 3.
