The Benedictine Mesa Men's Basketball Team fell short to Simpson University Saturday night at home, 71-82. 
 
The game started with Quincy Reece making a jumper for BenU, putting 2 points on the board, but by the 18:23 mark, Simpson took the lead and maintained it throughout the night. Despite the Redhawks' efforts, including a layup from Tanner Crawford that narrowed the lead to 1, Simpson held onto the lead. Benedictine played well but struggled to prevent Simpson from making 3-pointers, with Simpson shooting 70.6% from beyond the arc. Benedictine ended the first half trailing by 8, 31-39.
 
In the second half, the Redhawks continued to trail, with low energy until the 7:36 mark when Quincy Reece's fast break layup boosted the team's morale. From that point on, the Redhawks fought hard to claw their way back into the game. Deven Franks contributed with two free throws, followed by another layup from Reece, cutting the lead to 9 and bringing the team some much needed energy, 59-68. The closest BenU got was with 1:31 on the clock when Damian Zivak's layup reduced the lead to 5, 71-76. However, Simpson maintained their lead and closed out the game. 
 
Standout Players:
Quincy Reece had an outstanding night, leading the team in both points and rebounds. The wing scored 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, with 7 of those rebounds coming in the second half. Eric Norton also made a notable contribution with 16 points and 4 rebounds. Damian Zivak scored 13 points, secured 2 rebounds, and led the team with 3 steals.
 
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks are set to hit the road next week, heading to California to face California Maritime and Pacific Union College.