While most students traveled home for winter break, the Kenyon men’s basketball team remained in Gambier, posting a solid 4-3 record before the rest of the campus returned. The Owls opened their series of games with three consecutive wins, including one against NCAC opponent Ohio Wesleyan University. Then, to start the semester, the Owls traveled to Wittenberg University, where they lost, finishing out this string of matches with an overall record of 8-7 (2-4 NCAC).

On Dec. 13, the Owls dominated Ohio Wesleyan, defeating the Battling Bishops 76-56. The game remained close for much of the first half as the two teams traded baskets. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Nicholas Graves ’29 and Jackson Maloney ’28 gave Kenyon the edge it needed, bringing the Owls their first double-digit lead of the game with five minutes to play before the half. Kenyon’s momentum continued from there, notching an 18-point lead before the first half concluded. The Owls’ dominance was on full display for the rest of the match, building their lead up to 20, due in part to a string of layups from Marius Mazeika ’28.

A week later, Kenyon hosted Earlham College (Ind.). Riding the high of their first conference win, the Owls got out to a quick start, immediately going up 4-0 on the Quakers. The first half consisted of a trio of ties from there, but Kenyon pulled away just a few minutes later thanks to a 3-pointer from Jack Corrigan Conaty ’29. Heading into the second half with a six-point lead, the Owls continued to distance themselves from the Quakers, going up by 12 just moments into the action. Despite faltering slightly toward the end of the matchup, Kenyon’s initial advantage allowed the team to secure a 60-54 victory.

Just before the new year, the Owls traveled to Lexington, Virginia, to play in the W&L Holiday Tournament. On Dec. 29, Kenyon defeated Marywood University (Pa.) 93-67, the team’s largest point differential victory of the season. The game was all Kenyon from the very beginning, as the Owls went up 14-5 less than four minutes into the competition. Kenyon continued to increase its lead, finishing the first half of play up 19 points. The second half was no different, and the Owls easily defeated the Pacers to advance to the next round of the tournament. 

Kenyon’s next opponent was the tournament’s host, Washington and Lee University (Va.). The game was close for the entirety of the first half, with neither team securing a lead of more than two points. The Tridents were able to pull away just as the buzzer sounded to end the first 20 minutes of play, going up by three. Despite the Owls’ best efforts, they were never able to regain the lead and narrowly fell to the Tridents 66-62.

Back in Ohio a few days later, Kenyon resumed conference play, taking on rival Denison University. The Owls came out of the gate with some incredible shots, securing a four-point advantage on the Big Red after a 3-pointer from Jackson Burke ’28. However, Denison began its comeback campaign immediately after. The first half ultimately ended with a Big Red lead of 13 points, a difficult deficit for Kenyon to chip away at. The Owls did manage to lessen the differential in the second half, but their efforts were not quite enough, resulting in a 75-62 loss to Denison, a disappointing result after last season’s thrilling double overtime defeat of the Big Red.

Hoping to get back in the NCAC win column, Kenyon traveled to The College of Wooster later that week. Yet again, Kenyon got out to a quick lead, going up 6-0 just a few minutes into the game. The Fighting Scots tried to get their offense going, but the Owls were too powerful, expanding their lead to 15 points near the end of the first 20 minutes of play. Wooster closed in on Kenyon for the duration of the second half, but despite a lower-scoring half for the Owls, the decisive lead from the the beginning of the match allowed Kenyon to get by with a narrow 80-75 victory. 

For its final matchup of the break, Kenyon hosted John Carroll University. Going into the match 2-2 in conference play, the Owls looked to improve to a winning record. The game started out on even footing for both teams, with Kenyon even amassing a slight four-point lead. However, the Owls were completely outpaced for the rest of the first half, going down 50-31 at the break. The second half was ultimately much of the same, and John Carroll handed Kenyon its third NCAC loss, 88-67.

On Wednesday night against Wittenberg, the Owls got off to a tough start, conceding the first seven points of the game to the Tigers before scoring any baskets of their own. Shots from Langston Foster ’29 narrowed the deficit early on, but Wittenberg was unstoppable, recording a 22-point lead at the end of the first half. The early deficit proved to be too much for the Owls to overcome, and the Tigers handed them their fourth conference loss of the season.

Looking ahead, the Owls will continue NCAC play as they host Wabash College on Saturday for the team’s Alumni Day game. Kenyon will look to get back on track in conference play.

Sports editor Henry Brandt ’26 is a member of the men’s basketball team.