GRANVILLE, Ohio (January 24, 2024) – The Denison University men's basketball team utilized a 50-point first half to defeat Hiram College 99-70 at home on Wednesday night in North Coast Athletic Conference action. Denison put six players into double figures in scoring, shot over 54 percent from the field in both halves and made 10 free throws in both halves as well.

Denison (11-8 overall, 7-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) was confident from the start, making four of its first five shots from the field and going 2-for-2 from 3-point range with makes from Scotty Dean and Ricky Radtke in the opening two and a half minutes.

Then a pair of free throws by Trevor Reed three minutes in made it a 12-4 lead to start the game for the Big Red before Hiram (2-16, 0-9) cut its deficit to within one (12-11) within the next two and a half minutes.

Denison, meanwhile, had missed five straight shots until a layup by Nick Heath just over seven minutes in stopped a 7-0 Terrier's run; and then Heath followed with a 3-pointer to make it 17-11 as the Big Red continued to shoot without a miss from 3-point range (3-3).

The Big Red were then able to open up their lead to 14 points (29-15) following a 10-0 run ending with two free throws by Cameron Smith with just over nine minutes left in the first half; and then a 3-pointer by C. Smith made it a 15-point game (32-17) just over a minute later.

Denison was able to take an 18-point lead (50-32) late in the first half after a dunk by Aidan King assisted by Heath, who then converted on a tough layup himself in the final minute of the period before the Big Red ultimately took a 50-34 lead into the locker room.

The first minute of the second half then featured back-to-back steals and layups by Dean and C. Smith to make it a 20-point (54-34) Denison lead, all before an offensive rebound and 3-pointer by Dean made it 57-34 less than two minutes into the period.

Then after a layup by the Terriers, a layup and then an and-one by Gates Flynn on back-to-back possessions gave Denison a 26-point lead (62-36) just two and a half minutes into the second half.

Lastly, with 7:17 left to play, a nice pass by King found a cutting C. Smith for the one-handed slam down the middle of the lane, putting what was essentially an explanation point on the evening.

Reed scored 15 points and led the Big Red with eight rebounds while Heath matched him with 15 points, followed by Flynn with a career-high 14 points, C. Smith with 13 points, King with 12 points and Kellon Smith with 11 points.

C. Smith was a perfect 4-for-4 both from the field and the free throw line while Flynn was an efficient 6-for-8 from the field and led the team with three assists. In addition, King was 5-for-6 while also adding six rebounds.

With just over a minute left in the game, Jay Jackson scored his first field goal of the season.

Denison will finish off the week at Ohio Wesleyan University at 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 27.