The Culver-Stockton men's basketball team dropped to 5-4 overall and 1-3 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference after a 70-59 loss to 25th-ranked William Penn University Wednesday night at Charles Field House.

The Statesmen scored the first 12 points of the game and led 12-0 after five minutes. The Wildcats clawed their way back to within four points at 23-19 with 6:41 to play in the first half; however, they would eventually go to halftime trailing 39-30.

In the second half, C-SC pulled to within six points at 44-38 on a basket by Robert Fry II with 17 minutes remaining, but that was as close as the hosts would get the rest of the game. William Penn slowly and methodically built as much as a 17-point lead before settling for the 11-point victory.

The Statesmen held a huge advantage on the glass with a 64-34 edge in rebounds, including 28 offensive caroms. That led to a 16-1 advantage in second chance points.

Fry led the Wildcats with a game-high 19 points while Seth Larson chipped in with 12 points off the bench. Larson also grabbed a team-best nine rebounds.

The Wildcats return to action this Saturday, Dec. 10, with a road contest at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.