Sullivan led the Big Red with 12 points and 5 assists.

The inside game of the Kenyon College Lords was too much for the Big Red Wednesday night as the duo of Dave Knapke and Bryan Yelvington combined for 54 points and 19 rebounds in a 78-68 victory over the Big Red.

From the opening tip, the Big Red were on the attack, never without the lead in the game's first half. A Chris Luther (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) three-pointer at the 12:30 mark broke a 10-10 tie, sparking an 8-0 run to give Denison the early advantage. The Lords answered with a three-point play from Yelvington and pair of lay-ups by A.J. Clair to cut the Big Red lead to 18-17.

Gritty play from freshmen Brett Tiberi (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and Jim Leffew (Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach), combined with a pair of lay-ins from senior Pat Sullivan (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland), sparked another Big Red run to extend the lead to 27-20.

With Knapke already on the bench in foul trouble, the offensive load fell on the shoulders of Yelvington. Inside and out, the senior post player kept the Lords alive with bucket after bucket, capped off with a three-pointer as the first half clock expired to send his team to the half trailing 39-38.

In the first half, the Big Red visited the free-throw line 20 times, knocking down 15 of those shots, while shooting 52 percent  (10-19) from the floor. Aggressive play from Tiberi, Leffew and junior guard Caleb McFerren (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) kept the Big Red afloat with heady plays that put four Kenyon players in foul trouble in the half.

The second half opened in favor of the Lords as they rode out a six-point run, not once surrendering the lead to the final buzzer. On the attack for much of the first half, the Big Red did not reach the free throw line again until the clock read 8:49, as McFerren knocked down one of two.

By the five minute mark, the Lords had extended the lead to nine at 68-59. After a time-out from coach Bob Ghiloni, Sullivan drove the lane and scooped a shot off the glass and in, drawing the foul and converting the three-point play. Leffew drained a jumper from beyond the arc on the next possession to cut the lead to three at 68-65.

After an over the back call on the Lords, freshman Marr Mansfield (Westerville, Ohio/Central) tallied a huge offensive rebound and bucket to cut the lead to one.

There to answer the call for Kenyon was Knapke. The forward silenced the run with four of his 18 second-half points on the ensuing possessions and the Lords lead grew to 10 before the final buzzer sounded.

Sullivan led the Big Red with 12 points and five assists. Luther scored 12 as well, while Leffew added 11 and McFerren 10.

The Big Red (6-14, 3-8 NCAC) will return to action Saturday as they travel to Oberlin for a 3 p.m. tip-off.