Men's Basketball Overcomes Halftime Deficit to Defeat Central Methodist on the Road

Fayette, Mo., (Dec. 3, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College basketball teams traveled to Fayette, Mo., for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Central Methodist (Mo.), Wednesday evening. The Vikings women's team finished out a 61-56 win, while the men's team overcame a halftime deficit to win, 70-65.

The men's game started with Missouri Valley opening the score with a quick three-pointer from Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.), followed by a jumper from Senior Antwon Ferrell (Newman, Ga.) to give the Vikings a 5-3 advantage just over two minutes played.  The two teams traded points over the next stretch of play, which featured a made jump shot by Junior Keanu Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.), and a basket and a layup from Davenport to hold an 11-10 lead.  Central Methodist held MVC scoreless for more than three minutes of play, and the Eagles eventually took the lead. However, Missouri Valley answered back with a three point shot from Freshman Damario Moss (Lexington, Mo.) to make it a 17-15 score midway through the first half.  The score was tied at 19-19 with less than nine minutes to play, but CMU followed with a 14-5 run over the next five minutes to reclaim the lead near the four-minute mark.  Central Methodist continued to increase their lead over the final minutes of play before the break, and extended to a double-digit gap at 38-24.  Davenport made a layup moments later, but MVC went into halftime trailing, 41-26.

The second half opened with Missouri Valley cutting down their deficit, as Davenport scored nine points nearly three minutes after the restart, 45-38.  The Vikings gradually worked down its deficit over the next stretch, as Ferrell had a jumper just over a minute later, and Moss followed with a layup to close the gap to 47-42.  Sophomore Darrin Thompson (Huntsville, Ala.) added a basket, and MVC tied the game at 47-47 with a layup from Davenport.  Missouri Valley held the Eagles scoreless for over four minutes, and MVC eventually took the lead midway through the half, with a layup each from both Moss and Patrick, 51-48.  The Vikings continued to extend their advantage, outscoring Central Methodist by a 9-2 margin over the next three minutes, featuring layups from Moss and Patrick, and a three-pointer from Davenport.  Missouri Valley stretched the lead to double-digits, 65-55, near the four-minute mark. The Eagles cut their deficit down scoring the next seven points in the final minutes of play, but a layup from Patrick and three free throws from Davenport secured the win for the Vikings, 70-65.

Davenport led with 31 points to go with six rebounds and two blocks.  Moss followed with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Patrick totaled 12 points.  Ferrell finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists.  Missouri Valley held a 43-39 advantage in rebounds, and forced eleven turnovers in the game.

Missouri Valley improves to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the Heart.  Central Methodist drops to 7-4 on the season and 3-2 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams will travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa, for a Heart doubleheader with William Penn (Iowa), Saturday.  Women's game at 2 p.m., followed by the men's game at 4 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.