Men's Basketball Defeats Clarke on the Road

Dubuque, Iowa, (Jan. 31, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Dubuque, Iowa, for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Clarke (Iowa), Saturday afternoon.  The Viking women's team fell by a final score of 70-51, while the men's team came away with an 85-75 win.

Missouri Valley took control early in the men's game, going on an 8-0 run through more than two minutes of play to open the contest.  The team forced three turnovers in the early stretch of play, and used layups from Junior Cael Simpson (Gold Coast, Australia), Junior Kamari Slaughter (Gary, Ind.), Freshman Damario Moss (Lexington, Mo.) and Junior Devin Davenport (Milwaukee, Wisc.) to build the advantage.  The Vikings maintained their lead through the next stretch of play, as Davenport and Junior Keanu Patrick (Biloxi, Miss.) each had one basket to make it a 12-6 score with just over five minutes off the clock.  Clarke worked back, and cut the deficit down to 14-13 near the 12-minute mark, then went ahead for the first time at 18-16 one minute later.  Davenport sank a three-pointer and added a layup midway through the half to tie the teams at 21-21.  Sophomore Darrin Thompson (Huntsville, Ala.) came down with an offensive rebound and a basket, while Senior Antwon Ferrell (Newman, Ga.) put in a layup to send MVC back in front, 25-23, with nine minutes to play in the half.  The Pride outscored Missouri Valley by a 6-2 margin over the next two minutes of play to reclaim the lead, at 29-27.  Ferrell and Freshman Shalva Meunargia (Tbilisi, Georgia) each made one free throw, while Patrick finished off a layup and Thompson sank a three-point shot to give MVC a 34-29 advantage near the five-minute mark.  Clarke responded again, and eventually went back in front, 37-36, with just over one minute to play before the break.  Another layup from Slaughter briefly sent Missouri Valley ahead, while a late free throw by CU tied the score going into halftime, 38-38.

The second half began with an early run for the Vikings, as Slaughter started play with a layup, followed by back two-straight three-pointers from Moss to make it a 46-38 MVC lead with just over one minute off the clock.  Davenport added a pair of free throws moments later, as the team stayed in front, 48-40.  The advantage grew to double-digits over the next two minutes, helped by made free throws from Patrick and a jumper by Ferrell to make it a 52-42 score.  The Vikings continued to increase their lead, as Moss made two free throws, Davenport sank a jump shot and Slaughter ended the 10-2 run with a steal and fast-break dunk to put the team ahead, 58-42, with five minutes played in the half.  The Pride chipped away at their deficit over the next stretch of play, working back to a 63-55 gap midway through the half.  Patrick followed with four points and Thompson sank a three-pointer to help a quick 7-0 run for MVC, and push the lead out to 70-55 near the eight-minute mark.  Slaughter added a layup, while Davenport made a three-point shot over the next two minutes to put the score at 75-61.  Clarke came back again, and shrunk the gap down to 77-71 with less than three minutes to play in the contest.  Moss responded with a made field goal, and Ferrell added two made free throws.  Davenport then came up with a steal, and made a pair of free throw shots, while Ferrell added one late jump to help seal the win for Missouri Valley, 85-75.

Davenport led with 20 points, to go with four steals.  Moss had 17 points and eight rebounds, while Ferrell added 13 points and five assists.  Slaughter had his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Patrick came off the bench to score 12 points and grab nine rebounds.  Missouri Valley held a 45-37 advantage in rebounding and held Clarke to 35-percent shooting from the floor.

Missouri Valley improved to 16-6 on the season and 10-4 in the Heart.  Clarke dropped to 4-18 overall and 1-13 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking basketball teams host Central Methodist (Mo.) in a Heart doubleheader, Wednesday evening inside the Burns Athletic Complex for the Winter Social and Courtwarming.  Women's game starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 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.