Men's Basketball | 3/6/2026 11:42:00 PM
HARTFORD, CT — The 2025-26 season for the Keuka College Men's Basketball team came to an end on Friday night as the Wolves fell to top-ranked and defending national champion Trinity College 74-63 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. Lamar Lovelace led Keuka College (15-14, 9-7 Empire 8) with 25 points, breaking the Empire 8 record for points in a season with 636.
Akinlana Popoola added 12 for the Wolves. Kaleb Nutifafa and Makya Morrison tied for the team lead with seven rebounds in the game.
#1 Trinity College 74 vs. Keuka College 63 – NCAA Tournament First Round
The Bantams scored the first four points of the game, but the Wolves responded as Lamar Lovelace and Akinlana Popoola each knocked down a three for the Green and Gold. The hosts responded, scoring eight of the next ten points to lead 14-8 midway through the first. The Wolves continued to battle as Lovelace drove through contact to find Makya Morrison under the basket. The Wolves would be held scoreless for over four minutes until Chase Welch knocked down a three to make it 21-15 with five minutes left in the half. Lovelace later banked in a three as the Wolves cut the margin to a pair at 22-20. Welch followed with another three as the Wolves took the lead. The Green and Gold added to their advantage as they closed the first half on a 17-4 run spanning nine minutes to lead Trinity College 29-23 at the half.
Both teams came out of halftime trading baskets. Keuka remained ahead by six at the first media timeout. The Wolves used a 5-0 run to take a nine-point lead at the next timeout. A free throw by Quinn VanKerkhove pushed the Keuka advantage to 10, 41-31. Trinity cut into the lead, but Akinlana Popoola got a rebound and hit a three for the Wolves. However, Trinity answered with a triple of their own to make it 44-38 Wolves with nine minutes remaining. The Bantams found their range as eight unanswered by the home team cut Keuka's lead to one, 44-43, with 7:37 left to play. Trinity would tie the game at 49-49 with six minutes remaining. A three capped a 7-0 run for the hosts as Trinity took the lead. The run turned into a 13-2 stretch for the Bantams as Trinity opened a 58-51 lead over the Wolves as Keuka took a timeout. The Wolves answered following the break as Lamar Lovelace came off a screen and drained a basket. However, the Bantams converted from the free throw line late. Trinity held off Keuka's upset bid as the Bantams defeated the Wolves 74-63.
KC Notes:
- Friday was the first game Keuka College Men's Basketball has played in the NCAA Tournament in program history. The Wolves became the 22nd team at Keuka to play in the national tournament
- The Wolves fall to 0-2 all-time against Trinity College, last playing the Bantams in the 2000-01 season
- Keuka College finished their season with a winning record for the first time
- Lamar Lovelace finished his season with 636 points. Not only was it the most points it a season in Keuka College history, it also set the Empire 8 record for the most points by a player in a season in conference history
- Lovelace last set the Keuka College record for field goals made in a season and free throws in a season. He finished fourth in threes made in a year
- As a team, Keuka College set a new record for points in a season. The Wolves also set the record for free throws in a year and tied for the free throw percentage record
- Makya Morrison had eight points in the game to go with his seven rebounds. The sophomore surpassed 200 points scored on the season
- Also surpassing the 200 plateau was Kaleb Nutifafa who finished the year with 206 rebounds, tenth most in program history