The third time wasn’t a charm for men’s basketball against Roanoke College. Last night’s loss ended the Panthers’ 2024-25 season.

After losing twice in the regular season, the Panthers had another crack at Roanoke in the first round of the ODAC playoffs.

The team was looking for its third consecutive first-round win.

Ferrum started the scoring for the evening with a tip in by Ashton Troutman.

After Troutman got the Panthers on the board, the two teams went back-and-forth for the next 20 minutes.

In the first half, there was a total of five ties and nine lead changes, with Roanoke leading going into the break 42-36.

Both teams shot similarly from the floor in the first half.

The Panthers shot 14-32 from the field, 3-9 from three-point range, and 5-8 from the line.

Roanoke shot 16-32 from the floor, 3-7 behind the arc, and 7-10 at the free-throw line.

In the second half, the Panthers would never see the lead.

The final time the Panthers held the lead was after a made jumper by Marcus Willis Jr. with two minutes to go in the first half.

The team kept the game close in the final 20 minutes but couldn’t move out in front.

Ferrum cut the lead to three to start the second half, but Roanoke answered with a 7-0 run, putting them up by 10.

The Panthers followed Roanoke’s seven unanswered points, with a 7-0 run of their own, cutting the lead back to three.

From that point on, the Maroons held a multi-possession lead for the next 10 minutes.

With five minutes remaining, Gerren Jones hit a three to cut the it to seven.

To close the game out, the Maroons went on another run, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Panthers fell 89-75, ending their season.

Jones kept the hot hand into the postseason, finishing with 28 points and draining five threes.

Tae Allen and Alfredo Abel-Rivera both scored 11 points.

The team finished 17-9 overall, 9-7 in ODAC play, and 10-3 in Swartz Gym.

When the team takes the floor next year, it will be competing in NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas.