MESA, Ari. - The men's basketball team dropped its first game of the Arizona road trip to Cal Pac rival Benedictine 65-75.
The Red Hawks started the night with a
Parker Martens mid-range jumper to get Simpson on the board followed by an
Osumanu Nuhu layup in the paint to give Simpson the Early lead.
Simpson would create some breathing room mid-way through the first half after a
Drey Ubas three-pointer to put Simpson up 17-12.
However, the lead would not last long as a 6-0 Buccaneers run would give them the lead right back.
But a three-pointer by
Kyle Brennon would not only break the 6-0 run but give Simpson the 20-18 lead.
Simpson would grow its largest lead to seven points after a jumper by Nuhu with just under six minutes left to the half.
The Red Hawks would hold the 38-35 advantage over the Buccaneers as they headed into the half.
Nuhu would have a strong first half with a team-high 10 points and four rebounds.
Sam Shields and
Derek Gorden would have a big first half coming off the bench as they each recorded nine points for a combined six rebounds.
Nuhu would continue to stay hot as he picked up three straight buckets in the paint to open the second half scoring for the Red Hawks.
However, the Buccaneers would turn it on half way through the second half as they took the lead and never looked back.
Park would outscore Simpson 40-27 in the second half to claim the 75-65 victory.
Osumanu Nuhu had a monster game as he had a team-high 20 points to go along with six rebounds.
Shields and Gorden would have a quiet second half but finished second on the team with nine points each followed close behind by
Parker Martens who had eight points.
With the loss, the Red Hawks are in a three-way tie for fifth place with Westcliff and Park as they sit 4.5 GB first place UAV.
Simpson will look to rebound and get out of the current funk they are in as they take on Benedictine tomorrow at 6 PM.
