Wildcats Open 2026 with 76-60 Home Win over Clarke

BALDWIN CITY - After a two-game skid to end 2025, Baker men's basketball started the new year with a solid 76-60 victory over Clarke at home on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats stretched an eight-point halftime lead out to double-digit margins in the second half to earn their fourth conference win of the season and push BU back over .500 with a 4-3 mark in Heart play.

Baker shot over 45 percent from the floor and held the Pride to shoot less than 30 percent with only 19 made field goals from the visitors. Clarke owned an advantage at the free-throw line, going 16-for-22, compared to a 7-for-9 night from BU.

Luke McDonald, Cam Jones, Alex Gunnels and Shane Threadgill led a balanced scoring night for the Wildcats with McDonald and Jones finishing with 15 points apiece, while Gunnels and Threadgill each had 14.

It was a low-scoring start to the game until a jumper from Xavier McCord gave BU a 13-12 lead midway through the first half and sparked a string of six unanswered points for the Wildcats. McDonald scored all eight of his points of the opening half within the game's first 11 minutes to lead the charge for BU early on.

After Clarke made it a two-point game, Jones nailed a three to give Baker a little more cushion before another cold spell in the half brought the scoring to a halt down the stretch. The Pride got within one on multiple occasions, but five straight points from Threadgill and a pair of free throws from Jones kept the Wildcats in front at halftime, 37-29.

In the second half, McDonald got off to another nice start, draining a three to give Baker its first double-digit lead of the day. Threes from Gunnels and Jones kept BU at that distance before another trey by Gunnels made it a 13-point advantage.

Lucas Lyons joined the three-point party to stretch Baker's lead out to 62-46 with 8:12 left in the game. Threadgill and Braeden Colwell followed suit with threes in the final six minutes as the Wildcats cruised to a 76-60 victory for their sixth overall win of the season.

After a 17-day gap between games following the holiday break, Baker will take a week off before hitting the hardwood again and face Culver-Stockton on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 2 p.m. in the Collins Center.

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