Fulton, Mo. – The William Woods men's basketball team opened up 2026 in Anderson Arena Saturday against Benedictine College (8-7,4-3), falling to the Ravens 93–84.

William Woods (5-10, 2-6 Heart) stayed within striking distance early, trading baskets with the Ravens throughout the opening half. Benedictine carried a slim 38–36 advantage into the break after a tightly contested first 20 minutes. 

The Ravens came out strong in the second half, utilizing an efficient offensive stretch to build a lead. Despite the deficit, the Owls continued to compete, answering runs and keeping pressure on Benedictine down the stretch. With the final push at the end, the Owls could not bridge the gap between the Ravens and would fall at the final buzzer, 93-84. 

In this high-scoring match-up for the Owls, Mark Onyejekwe led the Owls with 29 while battling injuries, with big man Jacob LaBounty putting up 27 points with 6 rebounds. Oshae Barquet added to the scoring with 17 of his own, while Isaiah Payne and Michael Brooks added 13 points to the total. 

William Woods will look to regroup as they have a quick turnaround for a non-conference match-up against Westminster College on Monday at 5:00 p.m.