JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Xavier Ball drained a three-pointer as time expired to give the Lincoln men's basketball team a 72-69 victory over Kentucky Wesleyan in Jason Gym on Sunday (Nov. 10).

Franck Yetna led four Blue Tigers in double-figures with 24 points, nine rebounds and a block while Ball finished with 17 points, two boards, an assist and a steal. Tyler Chapman dished 12 assists and scored 11 points to go with five rebounds and a pair of steals, and Tyson Robinson added 10 points, two rebounds and an assist.

Kentucky Wesleyan (0-2) led for most of the first half, going ahead by 12 on a fast break layup with 1:57 left until halftime. Yetna cut the deficit down to 37-27 on a jumper, Chapman made a three and Mikey West hit a pair of free throws to make is a five-point contest at the break. West also had a rebound and an assist in Sunday's win.

Lincoln (2-0) opened the second half with Ball making consecutive treys for a one point Blue Tiger advantage, but the Panthers stormed back, taking an eight-point lead on a pair of free throws with just under nine minutes remaining. Robinson got LU back within five by draining a three, one of 12 in the contest for the Blue Tigers, who shot .500 from behind the arc in the second half and .429 from long distance for the game.

Facing a 65-61 deficit with four minutes to play, Ball hit a trey to get LU back within one and Robinson connected on a driving layup to put the Blue Tigers on top by one. Kentucky Wesleyan answered with a quick layup, but Malcolm Davis sank a three to make the score 69-67 in favor of the Blue Tigers. Davis had eight points, three boards, an assist and a steal while helping LU shoot .429 from the field. Yousouf Timera, Matthieu Biembongo and Caleb Wright, meanwhile, each pulled down two rebounds, with Timera additionally notching a steal.

Two late free throws tied the game, and Lincoln missed a pair of free throws on the opposite end, making it 69-69 entering the final 12 seconds. After LU missed a shot, KWC had a shot at taking the lead on a breakaway layup, but the shooter missed and Chapman grabbed the rebound and passed it to Ball, whose three-point shot went through the net just as time expired.

Kentucky Wesleyan finished with a 36-32 advantage in rebounding and shot .451 overall and .400 from three-point range, although the Blue Tigers allowed the Panthers to make only one trey in the second half. Lincoln only turned the ball over five times while forcing 11 takeaways, ending the game with four steals. 

Lincoln will be back at home on Wednesday (Nov. 13) to host Harris Stowe in a 7:30 p.m. CST contest.