UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. - The IU Kokomo men's basketball team opened the 2024-2025 regular season Friday evening in Illinois, as they battled the William Penn Statesmen in the Governor's State Classic. William Penn was victorious 87-64.

William Penn scored the first seven points of the game to put the Cougars behind early. A Dell DeMyers triple cut the deficit to three at 10-7, but that was as close as IU Kokomo got for the entirety of the game. 

The Statesmen extended the lead to double-digits with 8:09 to play in the first half, taking a 41-26 lead into the halftime locker room.

IU Kokomo struggled to contain the dynamic and balanced William Penn offense, as 11 different Statesmen scored in IU Kokomo's 87-64 loss.

Four Cougars scored in double figures Friday, led by Max Newman with 13 points and eight rebounds. Drake Moore added 12 points off the bench.

Freshman point guard Mason Lewis had 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Dell DeMyers contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

The Cougars will be back in action Saturday, taking on the host Jaguars of Governor's State with a 4:00 PM ET tipoff.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.