ANDERSON, Ind. - The Manchester men's basketball team traveled to Anderson University to face the Ravens in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Men's Basketball Tournament Semifinals on Friday, Feb. 23. The Spartans' season came to an end, after falling short against the Ravens by a final score of 75-73.

Manchester and Anderson were tied 8-8 with 14:49 on the clock after the two teams battled for control of Friday night's game. The Spartans were able to take a four-point lead thanks to a three-pointer from Logan Willoughby (Greenwood, Ind., Whiteland Community). Manchester would go on a 12-3 run to extend their lead to 16 as the Spartans took a 29-13 advantage with just under five minutes left in the first half. Anderson would answer, cutting the Spartans' lead to nine with 50 seconds remaining. The Spartans went into halftime with a 36-28 lead. As a team, the Black and Gold shot 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range in the first half.

Anderson opened the second half with a 12-4 scoring run to tie the game at 40 apiece with 17:26 on the clock. The Spartans and Ravens battled back and forth, with neither team maintaining a lead larger than three points throughout the majority of the second half. Anderson would retake the lead and pull ahead 68-62 with just under three minutes remaining in Friday night's game. An offensive rebound and layup by Mitch Mendenhall (New Haven, Ind., Woodlan) brought the Spartans within three with 13 seconds on the clock. Back-to-back fouls by the Ravens would send Manchester to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game. Anderson would hang on to win Friday's game by a final score of 75-73 to advance to the final round of the HCAC Tournament.

Anderson shot 45.8% (27-59) from the floor and 35.7% (5-14) from beyond the three-point arc. The Ravens were led by Tate Ivanyo and Cam Smith with 15 points apiece. Elijah Mattingly added 12 points and three blocks. Anderson will face Hanover College in the HCAC Tournament Championship on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. in Anderson, Ind.

As a team, the Black and Gold shot 44.4% (28-63) from the field and 39.1% (9-23) from three-point range. Bryant Smith (West Lafayette, Ind., Harrison) shot 4-8 from three-point range en route to 17 points on Friday night, Zach Sawyer (Columbus, Ohio, Bishop Watterson) finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals. Logan Willoughby added 15 points and three assists, while Coy Hampton (Park Forest, Ill., Crete Monee) finished with nine points and a career-high 15 rebounds. 

The Spartans end the season with an overall record of 16-11. This season marks the second straight HCAC Tournament Semifinal appearance under Head Coach Nate Conley.