ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Dec. 6) – The Denison University men's basketball suffered their first defeat of the 2024-25 season Friday evening when they fell in overtime by an 83-80 score to UC Santa Cruz. The game opened the 40th annual Lopata Classic hosted by Washington University of St. Louis. 
 
Denison is now 5-1 overall this season. The win moves UC Santa Cruz to 6-4 in 2024-25. 
 
Senior guard Darren Rubin dropped a game-high 29 points in the tough setback. Rubin drained 11-of-15 field goal attempts including three-of-six three-point attempts. 
 
Kellon Smith and Scotty Dean joined Rubin in double figures scoring. Kellon Smith tallied 17 points while Dean finished with 11 markers. 
 
Despite the contest being nip and tuck throughout, the Big Red trailed for much of the second half. Free throw struggles hindered Denison in the loss. The Big converted just 16-of-33 attempts (48.5 percent) at the charity stripe. The Banana Slugs held a big advantage in the paint, outscoring the Big Red by a 50-24 margin. 
 
The game featured 12 lead changes. Neither team stretched a lead into double figures. 
 
Denison led by as many as five points in the first half. A three-point field goal by senior Tyler Miller at the 4:38 mark extended the Big Red lead to 25-20. Denison led for the remainder of the half, but a late Santa Cruz field goal trimmed the advantage to 30-27 at halftime. 
 
The Banana Slugs gained some separation with an extended 14-6 run that gave them a 55-47 lead midway through the second half. Denison quickly countered with seven-straight points to pull within one (55-54) with 8:21 to play. Santa Cruz remained in front until Trevor Reed sank a pair of free throws to make it 62-61 Denison with 5:48 remaining. 
 
A pair of free throws stretched the Santa Cruz advantage to 71-66 with 1:40 to play. However, Scotty Dean made a triple and Kellon Smith converted a jump shot to even the score. Neither team was able to score on its final possession and the game went to overtime. 
 
The score was tied twice in overtime before the Banana Slugs pulled ahead for good. 
 
For the game, Santa Cruz converted 49.3 percent of its field goals. The Banana Slugs also held a 40-34 rebound margin.  Santa Cruz led by as many as six points (83-77) in overtime. Denison would not go quietly, getting a late three-pointer by Kellon Smith to make it a one-possession game. Santa Cruz was able to hold on despite missing a pair of late free throw attempts. 
 
Denison drained 10 three-point field goals with three makes each from Rubin and Dean. Luke Salkowski pulled down a team-high six rebounds. 
 
Caden Breznikar led the Banana Slugs with 21 points and 13 rebounds. 

Up Next: Denison will face Colby College in the Lopata Classic Consolation game on Saturday, Dec. 7. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Wash U.