Editor’s Note: This piece has been updated to fix minor grammar mistakes and adjust a quote to be more concise.

The College of DuPage men’s basketball team struggled to find momentum on Dec. 12 against McHenry County College at home. The Chaparrals couldn’t keep up with the Scots’ 54% three-point shooting average throughout the game. Unable to produce late in the second half, COD fell to McHenry 101-78 leaving their record at 5-4.

“[McHenry] is a very good team,” head men’s basketball coach Joe Kuhn said. “They’ve got a number of players that shoot the ball extremely well, which came out over the course of the game. I give them a lot of credit. I thought we had a number of really good stretches, especially early in the game. At times our defense was very good. At times our offense was good. We just still make too many game-changing mistakes.”

Freshman forward Braylen Meredith led the team with 18 points and made three defensive rebounds. He also picked up one assist. He said the defense needed to do more to stop McHenry’s three-point shooters.

“We started out hot, and they adjusted,” Meredith said. “They started hitting [three-pointers], and we just didn’t adjust. They went 10-14 in the second half; that’s on us. We have to prepare and come out ready in the second half for what [teams] are going to do.”

Freshman guard Tylon Toliver racked up 15 points and notched three assists. He also made two steals. He said that although COD played well in stretches, McHenry was able to go on too many scoring runs.

“We just couldn’t come back from that,” Toliver said. “They went 10-14 in the second half, and that just can’t happen. When we played good defense, they would just find a way to hit a three late on the shot clock every time. It really killed our momentum every time they hit a three.”

McHenry went 15-of-28 on three-point shots throughout the game, and COD was 5-for-21. Sophomore guard John Gray III scored 14 points, put up five total rebounds and recorded two assists. He said the Chaps’ lack of finishing took them out of the game.

“We just missed a lot of shots, and that’s what I’m looking at here [statistically],” Gray III said. “I went two-for-eight. [Toliver] was two-for-five. You’re not going to beat anyone shooting like that. They had guys coming off of the bench and making shots, and we didn’t have that.”

Freshman forward Alecio Bonner secured 11 points with four defensive rebounds. He made two steals. He said he hopes the team puts this loss behind them and focuses on their next game.

“They out-rebounded us,” Bonner said. “One of their players had eight offensive rebounds, which hurt us very badly on second-chance opportunities. They knocked down shots when they presented themselves. Luckily we have another game coming up, and we can get better then.”

The Chaparrals look to bounce back against the Illinois Valley Community College Eagles at 6 p.m. on Dec. 14 on Klaas Court.