PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team dropped a River States Conference road matchup Saturday afternoon, falling 95-79 to nationally-ranked Shawnee State inside Waller Gymnasium.

The Pomeroys (12-14, 6-8 RSC) battled throughout but were unable to overcome a strong first half from Shawnee State (22-4, 14-0 RSC), which built a 48-28 advantage at the break and never trailed in the contest.

SMWC shot an efficient 50 percent from the field (26-of-52) and knocked down 85.2 percent from the free-throw line (23-of-27), including a 19-of-21 performance in the second half. However, the early deficit proved too much to erase despite a more productive offensive showing after halftime.

Quamar Hobbs led the Pomeroys with 17 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists. Mike Ajukwa was highly efficient off the bench, scoring 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting while grabbing three rebounds. Stanley Harley added 13 points and four assists, while Terrance Hill contributed 11 points, going 11-of-13 from the free-throw line.

SMWC's bench accounted for 66 of the team's 79 points, providing a spark throughout the afternoon. The Pomeroys also held a 32-22 edge in points in the paint and converted 22 points off turnovers.

Despite shooting 55.6 percent in the second half, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods was unable to significantly cut into the margin as Shawnee State maintained control and protected its unbeaten conference record.

Up Next
The Pomeroys return home Tuesday, Feb. 17, when they host Oakland City at 6 p.m. (ET) inside the Knoerle Center. Live stats and streaming will be available at SMWCAthletics.com.