It would be difficult for the Aquinas men's basketball team to play a tougher opening schedule to the 2019-20 season, as the Saints matched up with the past two NAIA National Champions in the last 24 hours at the Crossroads/WHAC Challenge. Only 14 hours after nearly taking down #1 Spring Arbor (the 2018-19 national champs) in a tight 69-64 contest, AQ fell to 2017-18 champions Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday (Oct. 26), as the #4 Wildcats pulled away in the second half, 93-66.

The Saints drop to 0-2, while Indiana Wesleyan improves to 3-1 on the season. AQ stayed within striking distance at halftime – trailing by a 39-30 score – but IWU used a +18 advantage in the second half in front of a strong home crowd to capture the non-conference victory.

Aquinas made 10-23 three-pointers and shot 37.9 percent from the field, while Indiana Wesleyan made 54.7 percent of its attempts from the floor and were 8-22 from downtown. The Wildcats were 15-23 at the line and AQ went 12-16 at the charity stripe.

Indiana Wesleyan held a 40-31 rebounding advantage. Aquinas committed 22 turnovers and forced IWU into 16 miscues.

12 AQ players scored on Saturday, led by Beau LePage and his team-best 11 points. LePage went 4-7 from the field and 3-5 from downtown, doing all his damage in just 14 minutes. Andrew Myers added nine points and Deric Murray contributed eight points and four rebounds.

Gabe Overway came off the bench to chip in seven points and four boards, while Myles Patten tallied six points and two rebounds. Davion Benton totaled five points and four rebounds, while DeShawn Lewis and Ben Clark each added five points.

Patten buried a three-pointer at the 12:56 mark of the first half to give AQ a 15-12 lead over the defending champions from two seasons ago. Indiana Wesleyan responded with a 15-0 run to open a 27-15 cushion. Myers scored on a short bucket in the paint with 2:18 remaining to make it a 33-28 game nearing halftime, but IWU would take the 39-30 lead into the intermission.

The Wildcats would hold a double-digit lead for the final 18 minutes of the game.

Aquinas is back in action next Saturday (Nov. 2) at 4:00 p.m. when the Saints travel to Gary, Ind. to take on IU-Northwest.