Virginia Beach, VA- The Regent University Men's Basketball team outstayed their fellow students, who have already gone home, in order to face off once again against Penn State-Altoona. This is their second meeting in 2024, and the Royals looked to take one more win at home against the Nittany Lions before their holiday break. Their first on-court meeting ended with the PSU-Altoona finding victory in the second half. Now, with ten games under their belts and an offensive scheme led by Freshman Christian Brown (Chesapeake, VA), Junior Darrin Clark (Suffolk, VA), and Sophomore Antoine Brown (Chesapeake, VA), Regent looked to finish their 2024 season with a win.
The Royals and Nittany Lions went shot for shot in the first half, as Regent stuffed the stat sheet for the first twenty minutes, while out-rebounding their opponent. The Royals have been able to take advantage of their overwhelming ability to force their opponents into turnovers on the defensive end, and turn them into easy scoring opportunities on the offensive end all season long, and this game was no exception. This team currently holds the record for steals per game in Regent basketball history, averaging 9.6 steals per game. Throughout the first half, Sophomore Brendan Goods (Long Beach, CA) led the way for the Royals, tallying 11 points with one rebound and assist, while Clark and A. Brown added 9 points and 10 points, respectively. The scoring output for Regent remained high and balanced throughout the roster, and the Royals would find themselves down just three points going into the locker room, 49-46.
The second half marked one of Regent's hardest fought battles yet. C. Brown continued his hot streak of three-point shooting, adding 17 points in the second half. His scoring helped the Royals keep the game close, supplemented by Clark, who recently marked himself in Regent Men's Basketball history as the first career 500 point scorer. He was able to drive into the lane continuously and score over his defenders, bringing the Royals to within 10 points of the PSU-Altoona advantage. After a short timeout, Sophomore DJ Dillon (Franklin, VA) added a quick three to try and help spark Regent. The Royals shot 50% from the three point line in the second half, and by the end of the second twenty-minute period, Regent had scored the third most points in program history. A. Brown added a double-double, and his brother Christian added 24 points, after draining a long three as time expired. Goods had an efficient game as well, scoring 19, while shooting 100% from the three point line. However, the Royals ultimately fell to the Nittany Lions by a final score of 113-103.
Despite the loss, hope remains high for the Regent, who are looking to make a mid-season push to prove themselves and get back in the win column. After the Christmas and holiday break, the Royals will open up the second half of their season at home against McDaniel College on January 7th. This will mark the second match-up between Regent and the Green Terror this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm.
