Raleigh, NC - The Southern Virginia men's basketball team endured a narrow defeat against William Peace University, falling short with a score of 82-87.

The Knights asserted their dominance early in the game, taking control from the opening tip-off and swiftly scoring 12 points in just under four minutes, with Malakai Olson contributing eight of those points. However, the Pacers began to mount a comeback, matching the Knights basket for basket and closing the gap to just two points. Despite this challenge, the Knights managed to maintain their lead going into halftime, with crucial baskets from Phil Harris and Tyler Kartchner securing a slim 42-38 advantage.

Coming out of halftime, the Knights started strong, with Olson, Baker, and Kartchner adding to the score to extend the lead by as much as 10 points. However, the Pacers mounted a relentless offensive surge, scoring 10 unanswered points in just three minutes to tie the game at 62 apiece. Despite Southern Virginia's efforts to stay within reach, the Pacers' offense heated up late in the game, narrowly edging past the Knights with a final score of 87-82.

Malakai Olson led the game in scoring with a season-high 24 points, shooting 11-21 from the floor and 2-3 from behind the arc, while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out three assists. Baker followed closely with 21 points, along with six rebounds and five assists.

The Knights will play their final regular-season game at home on February 17th, where they will host Methodist University at 2:00 PM.