SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — West Virginia Wesleyan’s men’s basketball team opened its 2025–26 campaign on the road Friday night, falling 114–76 to a high-powered Slippery Rock squad at Morrow Field House. The contest featured a balanced Bobcat scoring effort and meaningful early-season contributions from a deep rotation, but an efficient SRU offense proved difficult to slow.
Forward Isaiah Baker paced the Bobcats with 13 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the floor while adding five rebounds and two steals. Baker provided steady offense in both halves, including a fast-break dunk that energized the Wesleyan bench.
Guard Lamont Jones delivered a strong performance off the bench, posting 12 points, three assists, and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Jones consistently pushed tempo and created shots at the rim.
Guard Tristin Harkins added eight points, four assists, and two steals, showcasing two-way activity and late-game shot-making. Jerell Baptiste and Adrijus Janciauskas each scored six points, with Baptiste knocking down a pair of threes and Janciauskas going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line.
Senior forward Stephen Ovia contributed seven points and six rebounds, battling inside throughout the night and generating several second-chance opportunities.
In total, 11 different Bobcats scored, and Wesleyan’s bench chipped in 44 points, a strong indicator of depth that will serve the team well as MEC play approaches.
Wesleyan trailed 56–31 at the break, though early minutes featured multiple ties and lead changes. The Bobcats’ first basket of the 2025–26 season came from Baker, followed by layups from Ovia and Nick Davis as Wesleyan briefly moved ahead 4–2. Slippery Rock responded with a 19–4 run fueled by transition scoring and offensive rebounding.
Wesleyan scored 45 points in the second half, shooting 40% from the field while making four threes. The Bobcats repeatedly attacked the rim, with Jones, Harkins, Baker, and Baptiste all converting in transition.
Defensively, Wesleyan forced 13 Slippery Rock turnovers, turning several of them into fast-break points.
Slippery Rock shot 59.5% from the field and scored 72 points in the paint, using fast-break opportunities and second-chance production to create separation.
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. —The Bobcat men’s basketball team held a late lead and put together good defensive efforts, but a last-second Lock Haven University layup handed the Bobcats a heartbreaking 68–67 loss on Saturday afternoon at Morrow Field House.
Wesleyan (0–2) led for more than 21 minutes and carried a 41–37 halftime advantage, but the Bald Eagles closed on a 14–5 run over the final six minutes to escape with the win.
Wesleyan came out firing, shooting 45.7% from the field in the opening 20 minutes while getting into transition early. The Bobcats scored 16 fast-break points on the night and matched Lock Haven’s physical play in the paint with a 42–40 scoring edge inside.
Stephen Ovia and Nick Davis fueled a 13–2 run that helped the Bobcats erase an early deficit and eventually build a 41–34 lead late in the first half. A timely bucket from Jaden Westfall followed by back-to-back defensive plays from Tristin Harkins, helped Wesleyan take momentum into the break.
Wesleyan maintained control early in the second half, pushing its lead to 62–56 with just over five minutes left thanks to interior scoring from Milos Cirovic and Ovia.
But Lock Haven responded with a string of defensive stops and timely free throws to claw back. With the Bobcats leading 67–66 in the final seconds, the Bald Eagles attacked the rim and converted a contested layup with two seconds remaining. Wesleyan’s deep shot at the buzzer was off line.
Senior forward Ovia powered the Wesleyan offense with 16 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Davis turned in a complete performance with 14 points, a game-high nine rebounds, and a steal. Cirovic added 13 points, including a pair of threes, while dishing out three assists. Harkins matched him with 13 points, going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and stuffing the defensive stat sheet with six steals, tied for the game high. Westfall provided strong minutes off the bench, finishing with three points, a rebound, and an assist in key first-half stretches.
Wesleyan travels to Walsh University (Ohio) on Wednesday, Nov. 19 for a 6 p.m. tip.
