Wildcats Fall to No. 24 Friends in 2025-26 Season Debut

BALDWIN CITY - After advancing to the Round of 16 last year, the Baker men's basketball team tipped off its 2025-26 season at home Thursday night against a team that also reached the NAIA Tournament back in March, falling to No. 24 Friends, 107-68, inside the Collins Center.

Despite the result, the Wildcats did showcase a standout debut from guard Shane Threadgill, who poured in a team-high 24 points in his first appearance for Baker. Threadgill comes to BU from ldabel, Okla., and is just one of two true freshmen on the Wildcats' roster this year.

The Wildcats lost their top 10 players from last year's squad that advanced to the NAIA Round of 16 for the first time ever, returning just five players from that roster - all of whom saw limited action off the bench a season ago.

Friends established control early with a pair of three-pointers to open the game and used a 10-0 start to grab the momentum right off the bat. Baker responded with a layup from Eli Obaseki to get on the board, followed shortly by a fastbreak finish from Mo Niang that cut the deficit to 16-8 midway through the half.

The Falcons, however, continued their perimeter efficiency, using four triples in a five-minute stretch to widen the margin. Baker found its rhythm late in the half behind Luke McDonald, who scored nine points before the break, including an and-one conversion and a series of aggressive drives that trimmed the Friends lead to 54-28 before a Threadgill jumper closed the half at 57-30.

The Wildcats continued to battle after the break, trading baskets and finding success from distance through Threadgill's shooting touch. The freshman guard connected on several three-pointers throughout the period, including back-to-back makes during a Baker scoring stretch that cut the deficit to 72-49 with just over 13 minutes to play. Alex Gunnels added a pair of driving layups during the same stretch to provide a spark for BU's offense.

Friends maintained its rhythm down the stretch, finishing 37-of-76 (49%) from the floor and 17-of-37 (46%) from three-point range. Baker shot 41% overall (26-of-63) and 27% from beyond the arc (8-of-30), while making 8-of-11 free throws.

The Falcons' rebounding proved key, as they held a 49-32 edge on the boards—including 19 offensive rebounds—and capitalized on second-chance points to maintain their advantage.

Off the bench, Baker produced 30 points and saw 10 different players score. Alongside Threadgill and McDonald, the Wildcats saw contributions from Obaseki, Niang, and Gunnels, each providing some energy plays and scoring bursts throughout the contest.

Baker will look to rebound on Monday, November 3 with a nonconference matchup against Ottawa, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Collins Center.

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