The season could not have ended in a much more disappointing fashion for the Baker University men’s basketball team.
Head coach Brett Ballard thought the team had clinched a spot in the HAAC Tournament with a win against Missouri Valley College Feb. 19, but after losing its final two games, the Wildcats are out of the playoffs.
Baker finished in a three-way tie for seventh place after finishing the regular season, but lost tiebreakers to Avila University and Missouri Valley College for the eighth and final playoff spot.
“Since it went to a three-way tie, and Avila was involved, which we went 0-2 against, and we went 1-1 against (Missouri Valley), we were 1-3 against the other teams we were tied with,” Ballard said. “Avila was 3-1, so they automatically got in and (Missouri Valley) was 2-2… It was kind of screwy because if we would’ve won on Wednesday and won on Saturday, we would’ve finished fifth. So, it’s kind of frustrating.”
The Wildcats lost at MidAmerica Nazarene University Feb. 24 and against Graceland University Saturday in Collins Center on senior day.
“The first game we played Graceland at their place and we got a lot of good looks and were able to knock them in,” senior Jaris Wommack said. “On Saturday, I felt we got the same looks, if not even better looks, and we just didn’t shoot that well at home. I was just crushed. I wanted my last game at Baker University to be a memorable one, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
BU entered Saturday’s game with a five-game home winning streak, but it struggled to knock down shots against the Graceland. The ‘Cats only scored 47 points and had a difficult time freeing up Wommack, the team’s leading scorer, to get open looks.
“I know they’re disappointed with the loss, but they’re all good kids,” former head coach Rick Weaver said. “I just wanted … at least come see them play their last game. I know Jaris has had a really nice year, particularly I think, but Graceland used a box-and-one (on Wommack), and I think that definitely made a difference.”
Wommack was held to a season-low six points, due to being the man covered at all times in Graceland’s box-and-one defense. Seniors Andre Strozier and Austin Bond, who scored 13 and 12 points respectively, led the team. None of the Wildcats could match up with Graceland’s Jake Smith, who led the Yellowjackets with 24 points and nine rebounds.
“I thought our defense was pretty good tonight, except for letting up the last three minutes of the game, which is not acceptable,” Ballard said. “Our defense was good for most of the night, but Smith was a load.”
While the Wildcats were disappointed with the way their season ended, they improved in the HAAC by five games from last season and had two players named to the all-conference teams.
Wommack was named to the second team, while Strozier was named as an honorable mention.
The Wildcats finished with a record of 8-12 in the HAAC and 12-18 overall.
