WILKES-BARRE, PA (November 8, 2024) -- On opening night, senior guard Chris Patton surpasses the 1,000-point milestone for his career as he led the King's College men's basketball team to a thrilling 110-98 win over Elizabethtown College. With the win in McGrane Gymnasium, the Monarchs start the season 1-0, while the Blue Jays drop to 0-1.
 
The 110 points scored by the team ties for seventh most in a single game in program history on a night filled with milestones and excitement.
 
There were five ties and five lead changes over the first 6:30 of play before King's (1-0) opened the scoring with an 8-2 spurt to go ahead, 22-18, with 12:36 left in the half. Elizabethtown (0-1) climbed back to tie the game with 9:51 to go, but the Monarchs answered again with a 19-9 run to give them a double-digit edge, 47-36, with 4:19 remaining. The Blue Jays dialed back in to close out the half and close within five, 53-48, at the break.
 
Patton started the second with a three-point play, but Elizabethtown scored eight unanswered points to knot the score again, 56-56, with 17:49 on the game clock. The teams went toe-to-toe with neither squad leading by more than two possessions before Devin Kimmick finished in the paint, a Patton steal turned into a transition bucket by Ben Rodner-Tims, and Sean Forrest buried a three off an offensive board by Kimmick to jump back ahead by double figures, 80-69, with 11:23 to play. The lead got to as much as 14 off a fast break score by Ray Gooley, but the Blue Jays did not allow King's to run away with this opening-night contest.
 
Elizabethtown made it back within a three possession game, 93-85, with 5:50 left, but Patton went on a tear, scoring the next nine points for the Monarchs. Another layup by Gooley and a free throw from Rodner-Tims saw the lead reach 15, 105-90, with 2:17 left. Elizabethtown was unable to get the deficit back within single digits down the stretch as the Monarchs secured the thrilling 110-98 victory on opening night in McGrane Gymnasium.
 
Patton becomes the 31^st player in program history to surpass the milestone as he poured in a new career-best 35 points on 11-for-18 shooting, including 5-for-9 from three, with five rebounds, two steals, a block, and an assist. Ben Rodner-Tims added 18 points on 6-for-10 shooting with six assists, while Eamonn Walsh posted 14 points with four rebounds and three helpers. Devin Kimmick came off the bench to score 14 points in 14 minutes, going 4-for-5 from the floor and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, with caroms, and Ray Gooley contributed 12 points and three dimes. Jake Karnish filled the stat sheet as he totaled eight points, team-bests of seven rebounds and seven assists, and Sean Forrest had a strong outing with five points, five rebounds, and three helpers.
 
Austin Finarelli led the Blue Jays with 25 points, four assists, and two steals, and Rance Russo added 24 points.
 
As a team, the Monarchs had an excellent shooting performance, connecting for 59.7% for the game (37-for-62), including 61.7% in the first half. They also converted on 50% of their threes (13-for-26) in the game while dishing out 25 assists on 37 field goals. King's had the edge in the rebounding margin, 34-30, over the Blue Jays, while the defense forced 10 turnovers and limited Elizabethtown to 28% from beyond the arc. Diving into the box score, the Monarchs also had the edge in bench points (33-24).
 
King's will be off until next weekend as they prepare to compete in Susquehanna's Tip Off Tournament. The Monarchs will take on host Susquehanna on Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m.