Wilkes-Barre, PA (February 17, 2026) - Senior Jayden Thomas had a double-double with 34 points and 12 rebounds but the DeSales University men's basketball team dropped a 98-97 decision in two overtimes at King's College in MAC Freedom action on Tuesday evening.

The Basics

• Final Score: King's - 98, DeSales - 97 (2 OT)
• Records: DeSales (14-10, 9-4 MAC Freedom); King's (7-17, 4-9 MAC Freedom)
• The loss moves DSU's record against King's to 49-26 all-time.
• DeSales is now one game behind Stevens in the loss column for the #2 spot in the MAC Freedom standings with two games left to play. The Bulldogs can still earn the #2 seed with a win Saturday at Misericordia and two Stevens losses tomorrow night and Saturday afternoon.

How it Happened

• The lead changed hands several times over the first eight minutes of this game before DeSales used a 13-1 run mid-way thru the first-half to take a 32-21 lead with 8:56 left in the first-half.
• Thomas and first-year Riley Buzby started the run with 3's and senior Will Meeker capped it off with the last five points.
• The lead grew to as many as 13 points several times before DSU took a 46-36 advantage into the halftime locker room.
• King's kept chipping away at the lead early in the second-half but DeSales had an answer everytime the Monarchs got within single digits as the Bulldogs still led by 13 (64-51) with 9:53 to go.
• The DeSales lead was still eight with 5:05 left after a bucket from Thomas, but King's followed that with seven straight points to pull within one (73-72) with 3:07 remaining.
• With the game tied at 76 with 48 seconds left, Thomas scored out of a timeout and converted the three-point play to give the Bulldogs a 79-76 lead.
• The Monarchs had the answer hitting a big 3 on the other end and after a timeout, Thomas was short on a deep three to try and win the game at the end of regulation.
• King's scored the first four point of the first overtime before DeSales answered with seven straight to lead by three with 1:19 left.
• The lead was still three with 40 seconds left after a bucket from Meeker but the Monarchs tied it on another deep 3 with 27 ticks left and this time a Thomas pull-up on the baseline at the end of the first OT was off the mark as the game headed to a second OT.
• The game was tied at 82 with 1:44 left as a three from sophomore Luke Keppel hit back iron.
• King's converted two free throws on the other end and another three from Keppel was off the mark and KC hit two more free throws with 35 seconds left to take a 96-92 lead.
• Meeker scored quickly on the other end but King's made two more freebies to make it a four-point game again with 12 seconds left.
• Senior Ryan Glassmacher hit a quick 3 to make it 98-97 with 6.9 seconds left.
• Forced to foul, this time the Monarchs missed both charity tosses as Thomas grabbed the rebound, raced down the court, passed out of a double team to Glassmacher at the top of the key but his three at the buzzer off the back iron as time expired on DeSales.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Thomas finished 13-for-30 from the field in the loss and added six assists to hits 34 points and 12 rebounds.
• Keppel was also in double digits with 20 points.
• Meeker came off the bench to score 11 points and Glassmacher finished with nine points and nine boards.

For the Foes

• Ben Rodner-Tims had 30 points and eight rebounds for the Monarchs.
• Sean Forrest and Cole Walker each had 13 points.
• Jaden Hall came off the bench to score 19 points.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales shot 44.4 percent from the field as compared to 47.1 percent for the Monarchs, who torched the nets in the second-half hitting 71.4 percent from the field.
• King's was 13-for-26 (50%) from outside the arc and both teams shot north of 80% from the free throw line.
• DSU had 54 points in the paint.

Up Next

• The Bulldogs wrap-up the MAC Freedom regular season on Saturday traveling to Misericordia University with tip set for 3:00 pm.