SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team (22-5, 16-3 River States Conference) was edged by IU-Kokomo (16-12, 10-6 RSC) in a hard-fought 71-67 game on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22).
The game started off with IU-Kokomo establishing an early lead, as they led at the end of the first half with a 42-33 advantage. SMWC responded well after the break, narrowing the gap to just four points in the final minutes, but ultimately fell short.
Top Performers for the Pomeroys:
- Greg Jenkins led the charge for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, finishing with a team-high 18 points and four rebounds in 39 minutes of play. Jenkins hit 8 of his 22 shots from the field.
- Caleb Iheukwu added 11 points and six rebounds, contributing in both scoring and defense with six assists and a steal.
- Taeron Hogg also had an impressive outing, scoring 12 points on 5-12 shooting and grabbing four rebounds, playing a key role in the team's offense throughout.
- Shon Tupuola was a force on the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds and adding 9 points, while DaMeriz Merriweather contributed 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Despite the strong individual performances, the team shot just 39.4% from the field, including 4-19 from beyond the arc.
IU-Kokomo's Max Newman led all scorers with 18 points, while Chris Chin and Kedric Anderson each added 14 points. The Cougars capitalized on the Pomeroys' shooting struggles, particularly in the second half, where Saint Mary-of-the-Woods went 11-31 from the field (35.5%).
With the loss, the Pomeroys are now looking ahead to the River States Conference Tournament quarterfinals, set to take place on Wednesday, February 26, inside the Knoerle Center. The full bracket and opponent details will be announced once all conference games have concluded.
The Pomeroys secured the
River States Conference Regular Season Championship and have already clinched an automatic bid to the
2025 NAIA National Tournament, adding significance to their upcoming tournament play.
